HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Read Before Packet - 10/13/2020 - Memorandum From Amanda King Re: 2021 Budget Engagement SummaryMEMORANDUM
Communications & Public Involvement
215 N. Mason St.
PO Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522
970.416.2209
fcgov.com
DATE: October 12, 2020
TO: Mayor and City Councilmembers
THROUGH: Darin Atteberry, City Manager
Kelly DiMartino, Deputy City Manager
Tyler Marr, Interim Information & Employee Services Director
FROM: Amanda King, Communications & Public Involvement Director
RE: 2021 Budget Engagement Summary
Attached is the 2021 Budget Engagement Summary report and supporting emails, letters and
documents to date.
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2021 Budget Engagement Summary
Community Engagement Strategy: With the shift to a one-year budget, the City’s engagement process was
altered. Typically, the City does robust outreach prior to publishing the City Manager’s Recommended Budget.
Given the constrained timeline and the shift to a one-year budget, this year’s engagement focused on
promotion and feedback following the release of the City Manager’s Recommended Budget. The engagement
plan aimed to inform the community of the budget process and to involve the community on prioritizing
strategic outcomes, objectives and trade-offs reflected in the recommended budget. Engagement took place
mid-July through early October. Additionally, current health and safety best practices and restrictions on in-
person gatherings required engagement efforts be held primarily online.
•Methods:
o Animated Budget 101 videos in English/Spanish
o Dual language online forums, presentations and listening sessions
o Online forum with City Board & Commission representatives
o OurCity project page with online engagement activities in both English/Spanish
o Printed info cards, website and social media promotion
o Public Hearings
•Participation:
o OurCity:
2,800 total page visits
2,100 aware visitors, 956 informed visitors, 197 engaged
Surveys (detailed survey and quick poll information attached)
•117 total survey responses
Quick Polls
•158 Quick Poll responses
o Social Media:
Facebook +32,000 reached
Twitter +31,000 impressions
YouTube 588 views
o Online forums:
+100 total participation
Feedback Summary - What we Heard:
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•OurCity Poll & Survey Results:
Top Outcome Areas that should be prioritized in the 2021 Budget
Top 3
Objectives that should be prioritized in the 2021 Budget in each Outcome Area
Neighborhood Livability & Social Health
•1.1 Improve and increase availability and choice of quality housing that is
affordable to a broad range of income levels
•1.2 Collaborate with other agencies to address poverty issues and other
identified high-priority human service needs, and to make homelessness rare,
short-lived and non-recurring
•1.4 Advance equity for all, leading with race, so that a person’s identity or
identities is not a predictor of outcomes
Culture and Recreation
•2.2 Address critical park, recreation equipment and trail lifecycle and
maintenance needs and continue the planned buildout of the system
•2.1 Develop recreation and cultural programs that are diverse, inclusive and
accessible, and that also drive attendance and cost recovery.
•2.5 Ensure safety and welfare in City parks, natural areas, trails, and cultural and
recreation facilities for visitors and employees
Economic Health
•3.2 Understand trends in the local labor market and work with key partners to
grow diverse employment opportunities
•3.5 Invest in and maintain utility infrastructure and services while ensuring
predictable utility rates
•3.3 Systematically engage the business community with an emphasis on starting,
sustaining and renewing businesses
Environmental Health
•4.1 Intensify efforts to improve resilience and to meet 2030 climate, energy and
100% renewable electricity goals
•4.4 Provide a reliable, high-quality water supply
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•4.6 Sustain and improve the health of the Cache la Poudre River and all
watersheds within the city
Safe Community
•5.3 Partner with Poudre Fire Authority to provide high-quality fire prevention,
community risk reduction and emergency response services
•5.1 Improve overall community safety while continuing to increase the level of
public trust and willingness to use emergency services
•5.7 Reduce incidents of, and impacts from, disruptive and unwanted behaviors
with creative approaches that balance compassion and consequences
Transportation & Mobility
•6.3 Ensure equitable access to and expansion of all sustainable modes of travel,
with emphasis on growing transit ridership
•6.1 Improve safety for people using all modes of travel
•6.2 Manage traffic congestion and improve high-priority intersections for all users
High Performing Government
•7.4 Attract, retain, engage, develop, and reward a diverse and competitive
workforce to meet the needs of the community now and in the future
•7.3 Improve effectiveness of community engagement with enhanced inclusion of
all identities, languages and needs
•7.2 Maintain the public trust through a high performing board, as well as
organizational transparency, legal and ethical behavior and regulatory
compliance
•Listening Session Poll Results:
Top 3 most supported changes to the 2021 budget by Outcome Area:
Transportation
& Mobility Culture &
Recreation
Environment
al Health
Economic
Health
Safe
Community
Neighborhood
Livability &
Social Health
High
Performing
Government
Bus stop
improvements
Reduced
Recreation
Facility Hours
Water &
Wastewater
system
improvements
Reduced
maintenance
in downtown
parks
Scaled down
Police Services
Continuing
Enhancement:
Homelessness
Initiatives
Enhanced
Utilities
Customer
Data
Management
Vine & Lemay
overpass
Emerald Ash
Borer Infestation
Management
Purchase
electric
Transfort bus &
charger
Expanded
locate/permit
support for
Connexion
Broadband
installation
Stormwater
Enhancements
(Oak Street,
North Mason,
Boxelder
Dams, and
more)
Redeploy
Property/Utility
Rebates to
support Income-
Qualified
Navigator
Bicycle &
sidewalk
infrastructure
expansion
Redirect
Conservation
Trust (Lottery)
Funding from
Trail
Construction to
Park
Maintenance
Continued
Nature in the
City
investments
Electric, water,
wastewater,
and
stormwater
system
upgrades
Continuing
Enhancement:
Human Services
Program Grant
Funding
Other comments: During the 2021 budget engagement, significant feedback was also shared about the
budgeting for outcomes development and engagement processes. Suggested improvements for future
consideration include:
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•Additional budget transparency and access, including language access and additional review time
•More representation of Black, Indigenous and People of Color communities in the budget and
engagement processes
•Clarity of how various budget items address equity, diversity and inclusivity goals and priorities
Boards & Commissions Super Issue Meeting Summary Feedback:
•Representation from 12 City Boards & Commissions
•Recognize the challenging economic environment and appreciate that in general reductions are not as
deep as originally feared
•Desire to balance Transportation efforts: reduced routes make sense during COVID, but have
significant impact on those who rely on Transfort service; are we offering enough other alternative
transit (i.e., bike share)?
•Desire to maintain service for those activities that are deemed COVID-safe (i.e., park & trail
maintenance, natural areas maintenance, etc.)
•Pleased to see focus on human services needs, income-qualified programs navigator position,
homelessness services, mobile home park liaison, etc.
•Concern about how long it will take and/or how challenging it will be to restore funding that has been
cut, particularly in environmental areas: air quality, Our Climate Future, utility infrastructure
•Some concern about hiring freeze; if workloads become unsustainable, it could delay important
decision-making and program/service delivery.
Letters, emails and other supporting documents attached.
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BUDGET FEEDBACK EMAILS
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From:Karen Artell
To:City Leaders
Subject:[EXTERNAL] 2021 City Budget
Date:Monday, September 14, 2020 7:33:35 AM
Hello Mayor and City Council Members
First, thank you to City staff for all the thought and work that went into compiling the
proposed 2021 City budget.
Full disclosure, I'm on the Air Quality Advisory Board. I am writing to Council as a City resident
and am not representing the Air Quality Advisory Board.
Second, my thoughts about the budget relate to the larger issues of climate change, the arid
west as a whole and Larimer County in particular with severe/extreme drought as of
September 8, 2020. http://climate.colostate.edu/drought_info.html and the fact that the head
waters of both the Colorado and Poudre Rivers are in Larimer County which is experiencing
the largest fire in the County's history and 4th largest in Colorado. The Cameron Peak Fire has
burned along the upper Poudre River watershed. Fort Collins water is supplied from both the
Colorado and Poudre Rivers. Summer wildfires, in Colorado or other areas of the west will
continue to impact our air quality in to the future. We must also consider the interplay
between our air quality, COVID 19 and City residents' health.
Air Quality
Thank you to Council Members Stephens, Cunniff and Pignataro for advocating for the City's
air quality program at the Council 9/8 Work Session. I request that funding, in part, be
maintained for offer # 27.10 Scaled Down Air Quality Programing to include:
• Outreach, incentive, and engagement programs - please continue outreach and engagement
funds. The City's air quality website is a great resource that I have used this summer to help
keep on top of air quality due to wildfire smoke and ozone and have shared the site with
others.
• Collaboration with regional partners - please continue the City's contribution to the Regional
Air Quality Council (RAQC). As you know, Fort Collins is part of the Denver Metro North Front
Range Area (DMNFR) designated as being in serious non-attainment for ozone. The ozone
data from the west Fort Collins ozone monitor is one of the four monitors in the State with the
highest ozone levels. The RAQC is the lead air quality planning agency for the DMNFR and has
developed the Serious State Implementation Plan (SIP) for the DM/NFR Nonattainment Area.
The SIP will go before the Colorado Air Quality Control Commissions in December 2020 and
then on to the State legislature for approval before being submitted to the EPA. I'm sure
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developing the EPA required SIP was a monumental task for the RAQC staff while continuing
ongoing programs. https://raqc.org/ Because these efforts involve and benefit of our
community funding should continue.
• Tracking and reporting air pollution data - please continue to fund the operation of the air
quality monitoring network within the City. Contingency funds used for repair and
maintenance of the monitors and funds used to expand the network of low-cost particle
monitors are important for accurate air quality data for City residents and the north front
range area. As I noted above, the City should plan for continued hot and dry summers, high
ozone levels during the summer months and western wildfires affecting the City's air quality
going forward.
Water Quality
Regarding offer # 12.11 Watershed Protection - funded at $80,0000, the description notes the
2012 High Park Fire and that the remaining watershed of 260,000 unburned acres are
considered at risk according to a 2011 USFS Watershed Condition Framework. The Cameron
Peak Fire, which has burned 102,596 acres including the upper Poudre River watershed, is not
mentioned in this offer description. Considering the devastating effects of the Cameron Peak
fire on the Poudre watershed, funding for watershed protection should be increased.
Thank you for your consideration.
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From:WILLIAM RUTLEDGE
To:Travis Storin
Subject:[EXTERNAL] Fort Collins City Budget
Date:Monday, September 14, 2020 12:05:04 AM
My last job before retirement was that of the Athletic Department Business Manager
at Colorado State University. My principal job was being the budget officer. I
prepared the annual budget, made monthly reviews of the general accounting reports,
compared their line items with our budget, compared our year to date with our
projections and the previous years income and expenses and then wrote a financial
analysis. The analysis was a written summary with attachments that I used to brief
the Athletic Director and then took a copy to the University Vice President for Budget
and Finance. I began this procedure from scratch as there had been no similar
monthly analysis.
When I prepared the annual budget, I used the most recent years income and
expenses as the basis for comparison. Also, when approved by the Athletic Director,
he and I gave a personal briefing to President Phillip Austin. His PhD was in
Economics from the University of Michigan so he knew the right questions to ask and
we had to be well prepared.
I have provided this information so that you can understand that I have personal
hands on experience. As you know, most managers hate to deal with budgets and
never want to personally be involved in the month to month analysis.
I have been a citizen of Fort Collins since 1960 followed by three absences when
sent to Japan and Germany by the Air Force. When in Japan I made weekly "get well"
reports for the Commander of 5th Air Force following some financial difficulties when
thousands of dollars of monthly income from slot machines was suddenly halted.
My wife and I had six children who were principally educated in Poudre R 1 School
District.. Therefore, I have a special interest in the city budget as it relates to our
children. It is essential that we continue to protect our children with the physical
presence of trained police officers. The school age children are the largest vulnerable
group of citizens in this city. The recent "copy cat" reductions of city budgets that are
needed by the police have been emotional yet unreasonable. If anything, the police
budget needs to be increased relative to other line items that are nice to have but not
essential for the protection of our families.
Furthermore, I have discussed this subject with one of the officers in the Fort Collins
Police Department. I realize that the school district is a separate economic entity.
However, they must depend upon the city police to preclude situations similar to
Columbine in 1999. That event changed police policy all over America. Now every
police officer or legally armed school employee must run to the sound of a gun.
Seconds are critical. Remember the police officer in South Florida who was
personally too afraid to enter the school and pursue the shooter? We can't let that
happen in Fort Collins.
In your article in today's Coloradoan you solicited comments from readers. As my
comments are very relevant to Poudre R 1, I shall send a copy of this message to
their office. The city and the school district must work as a team to insure the safety
of our children.
William H. Rutledge, Jr.
5109 Madison Creek Drive
Fort Collins, CO 80528
(970) 689-3735
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Overall Budget Process
The total budget for all City funds for 2021 is $696M. This includes the appropriations for the Urban
Renewal Authority, General Improvement District #1 and the Downtown Development Authority.
Budgeting for Outcomes (BFO) Budgeting for outcomes is a form of priority based budgeting where
spending is linked to overall community results. Instead of the traditional approach to budgeting that
begins with last year's budget, the starting point for the budget process becomes setting priorities and
establishing the amount of revenue available for achieving those priorities. The budget process shifts
from paying for costs to buying results. We ask “What’s the best way to produce the most value with
the dollars we have?” to better align the services delivered by the City with the things that are most
important to the community.
Letter from BIPOC Alliance
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7 Core Areas and Corresponding Budget Allocations:
Economic Health: $164.3M/696M = 23.6%
High Performing Government: $111.0M/696M = 15.9%
Safe Community: $98.3M/696M = 14.1%
Environmental Health: $78.7M/696M = 11.3%
Transportation and Mobility: $75.7M/696M = 10.9%
Culture and Recreation: $37.9M/696M = 5.5%
Neighborhood Livability & Social Health: $16.6M/696M = 2.4%
Issues
●Community Engagement process is exclusionary
○Examples:
■Length of time from budget release (14 days from publication to first public
hearing for a 300+ page document)
■Budget is reactionary to COVID but does not acknowledge the disproportion
effects that COVID has on BIPOC
■No inclusivity for those who are most vulnerable: you need time, access to the
internet and technology, an understanding of budget/city/bureaucratic
processes, experience researching, etc to gain basic answers
■There is no language justice: translation is inconsistent, even though there is a
significant population who speaks a language other than English, and
undocumented folks also pay taxes that pay for this budget
■No clear process on ad hoc Budget Committee and how community can engage
or if that committee is actively engaging community
○Proposed Solutions:
■Delay budget approval process to allow for more adequate public engagement
■BIPOC community needs to be centered and engaged from the beginning,
including in the process of developing Strategic Plan and outcomes
●Language is jargony and lacks clarity accessible definitions
○Examples:
■Equity is a stated value of the city; while it is used (sparingly) across the
document
■What “equity leading with race” actually means to the city is not defined
■Does not acknowledge intersectionality, and specifically the intersections of
policies that are racist, classist, ableist, transphobic and/or homophobic
■Language is deficit-based, and racist (ie: “Disadvantaged Business Entities”)
○Proposed solutions:
■Increase points of community engagement and extend the process to reduce
barriers
■Deploy training for authors of budget on asset-based language and written
microaggressions
●There is no accountability to BIPOC and other communities most affected
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○Examples:
■Lack of analysis on how the city is performing on equity measures; lack of
publicly available information on what equity measures might be
■Lack of explicit references to people of color throughout the budget
■BIPOC are not engaged to identify benchmarks and goals for equity - this is
paternalistic and a racist and colonizing approach to equity
■Referenced satisfaction survey data are not disaggregated, response rates are
not published, nor are data presented inclusive of identities such as race and
gender or city neighborhood
●There is a lack of transparency
○Examples:
■Budgeting for “outcomes” - who determines the outcomes? These outcomes
don’t capture racial equity, even when the stated intention is to “lead with race”
■How will success be evaluated and how will we know if this budget actually
supported the outcomes that have been named? What are the qualitative and
quantitative evaluation metrics, and how will they be disaggregated?
■Budget is compartmentalized, with no references across sectors to see what
money is taken from where and how the categories relate to each other or
compare to previous years (ie: Aztlan Center funded via multiple offers in 2020,
but through a single offer in 2021 - cannot easily compare)
●What data is used to increase or cut budget areas?
●Budget cuts explicitly impact areas of equity
○Proposed solutions:
■Publicly accessible data to report on the outcomes and if this budget supports
the outcomes we need/want - this shouldn’t just exist on a hard-to-find website,
but should be shared in community spaces where BIPOC voices and feedback
are centered.
■Provide year over year analysis and comparison so cuts or increases are clear
and easy to find. Provide explicit cost/benefit for these cuts.
Neighborhood Livability & Social Health
OVERVIEW: $16,556,500 (2.38% of total budget)
-General Fund: $13.44M
-Other Funds: $2.23M
-Reserves: $882K
ISSUES
●Lack of funding: 43% total cut to the department focused on issues around racial equity,
poverty, affordable housing, and homelessness (Social Sustainability), leaving only $3.2M
budget at a time when all of these issues are being compounded by COVID-19
○Examples:
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■31.8 Scale Down Neighborhood Services is a $42k reduction targeting hourly
staff who could lose benefits
●Lack of specificity around BIPOC outcomes or accountability to BIPOC community in any offers
is racist and erases this community
○Examples:
■28.8 Affordable Housing Capital Fund ($500,000); 28.4 Homelessness Initiatives;
■28.1 Social Sustainability Leadership/Equity/Housing & Homeless does not set
clear benchmarks for outcomes for BIPOC, nor are BIPOC engaged in identifying
those outcomes
■31.3 Mediation & Restorative Justice ($277k) does not include any policing
accountability or following the lead of BIPOC in developing healing practices
○Proposed solutions: actively engage BIPOC community in identifying outcomes for their
communities, make those outcomes and progress against them publicly accessible
●Mental health is one of the biggest needs in our community during COVID, and is not
acknowledged within these offers
○2019 Colorado Health Survey finds that one in seven Coloradans needed mental health
treatment but didn’t get it
(https://www.lrs.org/2019/10/13/2019-colorado-health-survey-finds-that-one-in-seven-
coloradans-needed-mental-health-treatment-but-didnt-get-it/)
○While there’s little difference in the rates of poor mental health by race or ethnicity,
blacks and Hispanics fall behind when it comes to receiving treatment.
○10-13% of Larimer county adults have poor mental health
https://coloradohealth.org/sites/default/files/documents/2016-12/MentalHealthDataS
potlight_042716_0.pdf
○Data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration show that
19.55 percent of Colorado residents are living with some kind of mental illness, the
third-highest rate in the country.
https://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/local-news/report-colorado-among-worst-st
ates-in-terms-of-mental-health-especially-for-kids
○30% of Larimer county adults lack a regular healthcare provider
https://www.healthdistrict.org/sites/default/files/2016-survey-accesstocare-factheet-2
0180315.pdf
○1 in 5 Larimer county residents report currently having depression, anxiety, or other
mental health condition
https://www.healthdistrict.org/sites/default/files/2016-survey-mentalhealth-factheet-2
0180313.pdf
●No BIPOC leadership or perspectives
○Examples:
■3 white women supervise this department who are not trained and do not have
the experience to respond
■17.1 Graffiti Abatement Program spends $138K (7% reduction from 2020) for a
“proactive patrol” centered response, including educating school children about
graffiti
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■28.1 Social Sustainability Leadership/Equity/Housing & Homelessness ($415k)
references a “vendor” and “teams” leading equity and inclusion work with no
detail on who these are
○Proposed solutions: repurpose funds toward anti-racist education for school children;
Vendor and teams leading equity and inclusion work should be BIPOC
Culture & Recreation
OVERVIEW: $38,202,894 (5.5% of total budget)
-General Fund: $14.80M
-Other Funds: $18.30M
-Reserves: $5.11M
ISSUES
●BIPOC Voices and Experiences are not centered:
○Examples:
■Aztlan Center was created for Latinx community members, including lineage
holders like Bueno sisters - now only 2 people on staff who identify as Latinx or
chicano;
■43.3 Community Park Development ($4.95M) no acknowledgment of BIPOC
experience or engagement with BIPOC community in development - for sugar
beet park, originally hired a Latinx artist but he later quit because they didn’t
like his designs, nothing in the park that talks about Latinx history on sugar beet
farms, and all information during the opening was in English
○Proposed Solutions: A board should be established with BIPOC leadership to critically
audit Fort Collins culture and recreation activities, priorities, and initiatives; Listening
sessions with Latinx community members on their hopes and desires for the Aztlan
Center should occur in the next year.
●Funding streams are not used to center BIPOC and respond to urgent needs
○Examples:
■37.2 Golf ($3.63M) is justified as revenue neutral, but it’s the most expensive
non-capital-funded offer
○Proposed solutions: a minimal increase in green fees could provide an essential and
on-going funding source for BIPOC centered programs like those reduced within Social
Sustainability
●Lack of transparency around budget decisions
○Examples:
■Cannot compare Northside Aztlan funding from 2020 to 2021, because it was
grouped with other offers in 2020 and is a separate offer in 2021
○Proposed Solutions: A 10-year audit of the Aztlan funding and activities should be
conducted as part of a critical analysis of mission and initiatives centering the needs of
the local BIPOC community
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Economic Health
OVERVIEW: $164,283,958 (23.6% of total budget)
-General Fund: $4.21M
-Other Funds: $145.94M
-Reserves: $14.75M
ISSUES:
●Language around BIPOC is vague or non-existent; where it exists it is explicitly deficit-based
and racist
○Examples:
■26.4 Business & Workforce support ($226k) one Latinx listening session was
three years ago - what is the status of this work now?
■.4% of dollars funded come from an offer than acknowledges race or equity
■26.5 Economic Health Leadership ($298k) - benchmarks are identified by the city
not by BIPOC; language of “DBE- Disadvantaged Business Entities” - Deficit
based and racist language
■66.1 Urban Renewal Authority language prioritizes gentrification and does not
privilege experiences of long-term and lineage holding BIPOC residents, actively
erases the BIPOC community
○Proposed solution: Fort Collins follows the lead of BIPOC community by shifting to
appropriate and empowering language; BIPOC business leaders are engaged to identify
benchmarks
●Strengths, needs, and resources of BIPOC community are minimized
○Examples:
■26.4 language justice is acknowledged inadequately - translation was provided
only at the listening session for Latinx business members
○Proposed Solutions: No city event, program, or publication should be produced only in
English without translation available and conveniently accessible
●Lack of transparency around equity work
○Examples:
■26.5 increase in data collection capacity does not acknowledge what data is
being collected or how it will be used
○Proposed solutions: data should be disaggregated and decolonized
●Broadband is the biggest expense in the budget. Does not address connectivity issues
surrounding COVID or disparities in BIPOC community.
○Examples:
■60.1 Broadband Core Operations ($18.1M) is focused on broadband from a
market perspective and not as a community service and utility that increases
vitality, there is no transparency around neighborhoods prioritized for
connectivity, and no acknowledgement of the disproportionate impact of COVID
and related digital access gaps on BIPOC and low-income communities
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○Proposed solution: prioritization of BIPOC and low-income communities for subsidized
broadband access (including mobile home communities), clear and accessible
information about which neighborhoods are prioritized
Environmental Health
OVERVIEW: $78,668,006 (11.3% of total budget)
-General Fund: $2M
-Other Funds: $66.75M
-Reserves: $9.92M
ISSUES
●Reductions will have significant demonstrable impacts on BIPOC communities
○Examples:
■27.8 Waste Reduction and Recycling, funding was explicitly reduced by $7k for
working with “leaders of underserved communities”
■27.1 Scaled Down Air Quality Program (-$48k) outreach programs explicitly
acknowledged to disproportionately impact underserved communities,
including BIPOC, who are already disproportionately affected by environmental
problems
○Proposed solution: a small increase in golf green fees would completely fund these two
programs
Safe Community
OVERVIEW: $98,280,911 (14.1% of total budget)
●General Fund: $81.7M
●Utilities: $14.8M
●Natural Areas: $969K
●KFCG: $705K
●Data and Communications: $167K
ISSUES
●The size and scope of the police budget is out of proportion
○Examples:
■Police services receive appx. $50M in funding each year (with minimal cuts).
This is in comparison to Neighborhood livability and social heath, which receives
just $16M and is experiencing a cut of close to 50% this year.
○Proposed solutions:
■Priority based budgeting, budgeting for results should be used to determine the
effectiveness of policing in comparison to other strategies across budget
categories and investments should be made accordingly.
■Zero-based budgeting for next year for all police expenses
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■The outcomes, goals, and measurements should be transparent and inclusive of
the community.
●The increases in funding are symbolically and practically unacceptable. Community members
are calling for less funding for police
■The police are the only city employees receiving a salary increase, even though
this is due to collective bargaining, this is still inappropriate.
■The Office of the Chief is projected to receive a 23.3% increase reaching a $5M
budget in 2021
■There is a 21% increase to Community and Special Services
●ADD LANGUAGE OF THE TEAMS THIS INCLUDES
■There are projected cuts to Police Information Services and Patrol (9.5% and
11.7% respectively). Even after the cut, Police Information Services still has a
$7.6M budget for 2021, while Patrol, even after an 11.7% cut, still has nearly
$17.5M.
●For those of us who are calling for greater investment in our
communities by defunding the police, on the surface, these adjustments
are appreciated. However, beyond percentage changes, the quantity of
allocated resources is still significant and inappropriate for the
outcomes our diverse community needs, expects, and demands.
●The projected cuts to Police Information Services and Patrol have the
potential to have adverse outcomes regarding the emphasis on
transparency in policing recently taken up by FCPD. Information Services
provides the support to dispatchers, data collection and data requests
which in turn reduces the city’s ability to report on equity impacts and
discrimination.
○Proposed solutions:
■Renegotiate contract with police union, given the pandemic and community
perceptions around salary increases at this time.
■Report on specifics related to increases and solicit community feedback
●Overall, there is a lack of transparency and specificity across all police budget categories
○Examples:
■Unclear where the increases are going for the Office of the Chief and
Community and Special Services.
■Unspecific language and assumptions in strategic objectives around community
“safety”, “trust”, “expected level of service”, “reduction of unwanted behavior”.
By whose standards and with what input?
■What is meant by “proactive community policing”, and where is the evidence
for the strategies around crime prevention, especially when compared to
investing in other areas such as affordable housing or economic development?
■Cutting “non-essential training” for police but it is not clear which training or
types of training are considered non-essential. Again, by whose standards and
with what input?
■What is meant by “working with community”?
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○Proposed solutions:
■On an annual basis, publish and share transparency and accountability reports
from FCPD including:
●Demographics of stop/ticket/arrests made by FCPD
●The number of officers staffing each unit (including SROs), and the
demographic distribution within each unit
Transportation
OVERVIEW: $79,538,606 (10.9% of total budget)
●General Fund: $13.8M (dedicated) / $6.1M (ongoing)
●Other Funds: $39M
●Reserves: $20.5M
ISSUES
●The proposed reduction of 10% ($1.7M) in standard transit routes disproportionately impacts
some residents
○Examples
■Cutting transit service routes impacts those who lack the ability to
telecommute, as well as residents affected by lack of PSD bus service if schools
re-open.
■Most cuts (1M) are a reduction in classified hourly personnel.The budget states:
“It will take a variety of classification type layoffs to reach the estimated hours
reductions”. How many people are predicted to lose their jobs? In this economy,
how likely will they be to find work again?
○Proposed solutions:
■Put off enhancements listed below (and review other enhancements in other
budget categories) and re-allocate those funds to continue providing basic
transportation services and prevent layoffs.
●Enhancements don’t make sense in light of cuts to basic services
○Examples
■Increasing funding for maintaining mediums and parkways - $730k increase
■Realigning Lemay over Vine Drive - $2M in general fund reserves.
■$500k to enhance downtown parking garages
■$250k in general fund money to address improvements through the
Transportation Capital Expansion Fee Program. This is named in this program as
a “minor amount of general fund money”.
○Proposed solutions:
■Put off these enhancements for a non-crisis year
●More input is needed from impacted residents regarding proposed changes
○Examples
■More input into the North College BRT Planning Study to ensure BIPOC and
historic residents and lineage holders have a voice in planning
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■Related to route changes and cuts, how will staff ensure that there is not a
“disparate impact to historically marginalized and underserved populations” as
they claim? More details are needed regarding the process being planned for
determining how routes will be reduced.
High Performing Government
OVERVIEW: $111.038,060 (15.9% of total budget)
●General Fund: $31.2M
ISSUES
●Values of equity are not reflected in the budget
○Examples
■This budget is unresponsive to increasing equity in regards to internet access
during this pandemic
■The proposed elimination of the 24hr bathroom at Oak St. targets low income
and homeless population
■7.3: improve effectiveness of community engagement with relation to equity -
only comes up in 10 of the offers within entire section (mostly Utilities,
Communications, Boards & Commissions) - these are mostly about technical
capacity
■Scale down at City Manager’s office - reduction of only equity based employee
(Core 34) - $68,000
■Reduction in Leadership Development, Crucial Convos, $7k to support four
employee support groups
■Data disaggregation from surveys and other sources is not clear. This is essential
to understand BIPOC community needs.
■Unclear how the city assesses/evaluates success on “striving for inclusivity”?
■Travel budget for City Council should be eliminated for this year to address
other needs related to equity priorities
○Proposed solutions:
■Budget for leadership development, critical conversations, and employee
support groups should increase from $7,000 to at least $30,000 as this is one of
the few activities explicitly focused on climate issues within the city workforce
impacting BIPOC communities.
■Adjustments to Connexion prioritization should privilege low-income
communities for access first, including mobile home parks.
●Proposed cuts impact transparency in government
○Examples
■
■
The elimination in the Open Data program that would reduce funding for daily
pRoeldicuec tbiloontst einr -I Tw shuapt pdoortess atrhoisu nmde saunr fvoery tprlaantsfporarme -n chyo own dao ceos tmhims uinmitpya lcet vel?
community input and public engagement?
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From:Travis StorinTo:Lawrence Pollack; Amy ResseguieSubject:FW: [EXTERNAL] Citizen Comment: City Budget ProcessDate:Wednesday, September 16, 2020 12:03:46 PMFYI as we archive community input for future delivery to Council (Amy, Amanda tells me you’re ourpoint of contact with respect to that compilation). Travis
970-416-2367
From: Dana Guber <dana.c.guber@gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, September 16, 2020 11:58 AM
To: City Leaders <CityLeaders@fcgov.com>; Kristin Stephens <kstephens@fcgov.com>; Wade Troxell
<WTroxell@fcgov.com>; Susan Gutowsky <sgutowsky@fcgov.com>; Julie Pignataro
<jpignataro@fcgov.com>; Ken Summers <ksummers@fcgov.com>; Ross Cunniff
<rcunniff@fcgov.com>; Emily Gorgol <egorgol@fcgov.com>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Citizen Comment: City Budget Process
Dear Fort Collins City Leaders,
I imagine you are currently getting a number of these emails with the same talking points. I
100% agree and support every point stated below and urge the city leadership to DO
something, not just take these points into consideration.
I am a former executive director of a nonprofit and fairly well versed in budgets and financial
statements. And yes, this document was hard for me to read and understand. What do you
think it would be like for someone with less experience, who has English as a second
language, etc. to engage in this process?
I am writing to demand that the 2021 Budgeting For Outcomes process and final approved
budget include direct investment in, equity for, and inclusion of Black, Indigenous, People of
Color (BIPOC) in our community. I have lived and worked in Fort Collins for over ten years,
currently living in district 6.
The City of Fort Collins has a stated value of pursuing equity leading with race; the City
Manager’s recommended budget does little to define the City’s view of equity, center the
voices of BIPOC leaders and community members, or demonstrate this value with
concrete budget choices and investments. In fact, “equity” is mentioned only sparingly
across the entire budget.
The Community Engagement process to influence these choices, like I said, is already
exclusionary: it requires time, internet access, and fluency in English and financial jargon to
understand. Further, because of the reactionary nature of the budget to COVID-19, this nearly
400-page document was made public only 14 days before the first public hearing. THIS IS
UNACCEPTABLE.
These constraints actively exclude the community members most impacted by these decisions:
Black, Indigenous, People of Color, our neighbors and colleagues who are undocumented, and
people with low-income. Over 19% of Fort Collins residents are Latinx and 2,215 students
within PSD speak a language other than English at home, and yet there is no commitment to
language justice to support participation for these families. These communities are also those
most disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and its effects on the economy; we
should be increasing our investment in these communities, not continuing to exclude
them.
Most importantly, the content of the budget does not demonstrate a commitment to equity
leading with race:
Social Sustainability, the
department responsible for issues around racial equity and poverty, was cut 43% over
the previous year in this budget.
As we continue to advocate
for divestment in policing and investment in community healing, police are the only
City employees receiving a raise in 2021.
There is a lack of transparency
and specificity across all police budgets categories, including increases for the Office of
the Chief and Community and Special Services with no explanation.
Waste Reduction and Air
Quality, two key environmental health programs that are part of the few that explicitly
mention benefits to and impacts on BIPOC were reduced or eliminated.
There is no acknowledgment
of digital access gaps or explicit investment in ensuring access for BIPOC or low-
income communities in the $18.1M Broadband core operations, though the COVID
crisis has made these gaps abundantly clear.
These are only a few examples of the ways that this budget actively excludes, erases, and
otherwise harms Black, Indigenous, People of Color in Fort Collins.
To rectify these issues, we, Black, Indigenous, People of Color and white allies, demand that
City Council, the City Manager’s Office, and members of the Budget Leadership Team enact
the following immediately:
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UNACCEPTABLE.These constraints actively exclude the community members most impacted by these decisions:Black, Indigenous, People of Color, our neighbors and colleagues who are undocumented, andpeople with low-income. Over 19% of Fort Collins residents are Latinx and 2,215 studentswithin PSD speak a language other than English at home, and yet there is no commitment tolanguage justice to support participation for these families. These communities are also thosemost disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and its effects on the economy; weshould be increasing our investment in these communities, not continuing to exclude
them.
Most importantly, the content of the budget does not demonstrate a commitment to equity
leading with race:
Social Sustainability, the
department responsible for issues around racial equity and poverty, was cut 43% over
the previous year in this budget.
As we continue to advocate
for divestment in policing and investment in community healing, police are the only
City employees receiving a raise in 2021.
There is a lack of transparency
and specificity across all police budgets categories, including increases for the Office of
the Chief and Community and Special Services with no explanation.
Waste Reduction and Air
Quality, two key environmental health programs that are part of the few that explicitly
mention benefits to and impacts on BIPOC were reduced or eliminated.
There is no acknowledgment
of digital access gaps or explicit investment in ensuring access for BIPOC or low-
income communities in the $18.1M Broadband core operations, though the COVID
crisis has made these gaps abundantly clear.
These are only a few examples of the ways that this budget actively excludes, erases, and
otherwise harms Black, Indigenous, People of Color in Fort Collins.
To rectify these issues, we, Black, Indigenous, People of Color and white allies, demand that
City Council, the City Manager’s Office, and members of the Budget Leadership Team enact
the following immediately:
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1.
2. Delay the budget approval
3. process, and increase inclusion efforts including translation of all public budget
documents, Strategic Plans, and budget offers, and increased outreach to and
engagement of BIPOC and low-income community members.
4.
5.
6. Actively engage leaders
7. of the BIPOC community to define (or re-define) outcomes and priority areas for
investment.
8.
9.
10. Increase investment into
11. BIPOC communities and programs to support healing, health, and community-led
safety by divesting from areas that do harm, including the police.
12.
13.
14. Increase accountability
15. to the BIPOC community by developing accessible, public-facing data on City
performance against outcomes rooted in equity.
16.
We believe our city leaders should speak with the community rather than above the
community. It is critical these million-dollar decisions include community voice and input on
the potential benefits and harms to individuals, and especially our BIPOC communities. A
budget is a moral document - Fort Collins’ budget should reflect an explicit moral
investment in equity leading with race. We need people-centered decisions that demonstrate
the City’s stated values of equity, diversity, and inclusion.
--
Sincerely,
Dana Guber
she/her/hers
303-517-4031
dana.c.guber@gmail.com
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From:Torin Kaletsky
To:City Leaders
Subject:[EXTERNAL] Constituent Budget Comment
Date:Friday, September 18, 2020 5:54:22 PM
Dear Council Members:
I hope this message finds you well. I’m writing because I have some serious concerns about
the current draft budget.
The Safe Community outcome, which contains funding for police services, is staggeringly
large, especially compared to other outcomes that are important to our community, and it has
grown since the last budget cycle. Sections 18.1 through 18.10 total an estimated $48 million
for policing, and the reduction and reappropriation of funds mentioned in 18.21 and 18.26 are
so small that they account for less than 1% of the police budget. I and many others in Fort
Collins believe that this money should be divested from police and invested in community
services including mental health care, social work, drug treatment, community centers, and
importantly, affordable housing.
This year, Colorado has passed transformational laws to hold police accountable, and in
Denver, the new Support Team Assistance Response (STAR) program replaces armed police
called to some 911 calls with mental health professionals and paramedics. There is no reason
why we can’t do the same in Fort Collins. We are a community that is passionate about
protecting our people and replacing the historically racist and intimidating police force with
less violent alternatives. I do not even call 911 anymore because I fear that once police are
involved, the lives of the people who are most at risk and on the margins of society are
endangered by their presence.
I can’t speak for black members of our community, but I have certainly heard from many in
that community who do not feel safe or supported by the City of Fort Collins. This area is so
overwhelmingly white that we have to take very specific actions to support BIPOC. We can’t
keep going with business as usual. Our country has existed for over four centuries with its
wealth built on the enslavement and oppression of black people, and with the Black Lives
Matter movement gaining attention and popularity the way it has been this year, it would be
neglectful and offensive for Fort Collins to continue to overfund its police force and not divest
in meaningful ways.
I find it unconscionable that we have $15.7 million allocated to police patrol services and $1.9
million for police vehicles. Under 18.1 Police Administration, there are one million dollars
allocated to “other supplies.” We do not need this kind of massive police force and budget in
Fort Collins. We are not a community terrorized by violent crime. Our money is better spent
on affordable housing and other services that directly serve folks in poverty and BIPOC, and
we should absolutely have a program similar to STAR in Denver that replaces armed officers
with paramedics and mental health care professionals.
And to make one final point, while I am grateful to have a chance to voice my concerns about
our budget, I think that the way the community members can get involved needs to change.
The budget is a tremendously dense, 393-page document that was released two weeks prior to
the first public hearing, not giving us nearly enough time to review it in its entirety.
Furthermore, it is inaccessible to those without lots of extra time, fluency in English, and a
deep grasp of technical jargon. There needs to be an accessible and translated version
available for people with plenty of time to review it.
Thank you for reading.
Torin Kaletsky
He him his
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From:Cristyn Hypnar
To:City Leaders
Subject:[EXTERNAL] 2021 City Budget
Date:Saturday, September 19, 2020 12:36:51 PM
Hello Members of Fort Collins City Council and City Manager Atteberry,
As a Fort Collins resident of District 1, I am writing to you today to express my concern with
the 2021 city budget. While the City of Fort Collins has a stated value of pursuing "equity
leading with race," the recommended budget does little to define the City’s view of
equity, center the voices of BIPOC leaders and community members, or to demonstrate
this value with concrete budget choices and investments.
My concerns hit on two levels. (1) I am concerned with the way in which the budget is shared
with Fort Collins residents under the auspice of "community engagement." (2) I am concerned
that the proposed content of the budget doesn't meaningfully explain tangible ways that the
city will work towards equity, and in fact some of the budget reductions seem to
disproportionately negatively impact BIPOC communities.
To explain my first point: I find it unreasonable that the abbreviated version of the budget is
still well over 100 pages and contains insurmountable jargon. It requires a great deal of time,
energy, and dedication to navigate through. Releasing this document a mere 14 days before the
initial public hearing does not allow adequate time for community engagement, and certainly
not through an equitable lens. I ask you, who has the time to dive into a 119 page document
(let alone the 393 page full budget)? I am grateful that I am able to devote time and energy to
trying to understand the city budget and its impacts on my community, but recognize that not
all of our community members have the same luxury of time that my job, schedule, income,
and access to information afford me. These implicit constraints actively exclude the
community members most impacted by these decisions: BIPOC, our neighbors and colleagues
who are undocumented, people with low-income, and people experiencing homelessness.
(2)
The content of the budget does little to demonstrate a meaningful commitment to "equity
leading with race." It is impossible to rectify that professed commitment with a 43% budget
cut to "Social Sustainability," the department responsible for issues around racial equity and
poverty. There is also a lack of transparency in terms of police budget spending—at a time
when police brutality and systemic racism in the police institution is facing a reckoning, we
need to be explicit and clear about where our police funding is going. Our community has
been asking for less funding for the police force, and instead the department is receiving an
increased budget. Another example of the inequities laid bare in this budget: there is no
acknowledgment of digital access gaps or explicit investment in ensuring access for BIPOC or
low-income communities in the broadband Connexion proposal. Furthermore, the proposed
reduction of $1.7M in standard transit routes will disproportionately impact BIPOC residents
and those from low-income communities. These are just a few of the line items that I find
concerning in the proposed budget.
Overall, the language of the budget strikes me as trying to "talk the talk" without "walking the
walk." There is lip-service paid to increasing equity in Fort Collins, but there are not specific,
transparent, or tangible ways to measure these outcomes. The needs and resources of the
BIPOC community are minimized or erased throughout the budget.
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I stand with the Fort Collins BIPOC community and propose the following immediate
actions:
1. Delay the budget approval process, and increase inclusion efforts including
translation of all public budget documents, Strategic Plans, and budget offers, and
increased outreach to and engagement of BIPOC and low-income community
members.
2. Actively engage leaders of the BIPOC community to define (or re-define) outcomes
and priority areas for investment.
3. Increase investment into BIPOC communities and programs to support healing,
health, and community-led safety by divesting from areas that do harm, including
the police.
4. Increase accountability to the BIPOC community by developing accessible, public-
facing data on City performance against outcomes rooted in equity.
It is ESSENTIAL that these million-dollar decisions include community voice and input on
the potential benefits and harms to individuals, and especially our BIPOC communities. Fort
Collins’ budget should reflect an explicit moral investment in equity leading with race, as this
is what our city leaders have committed to. We need people-centered decisions that
demonstrate the City’s stated values of equity, diversity, and inclusion.
I look forward to a response and to engaging with City Leaders further during the upcoming
public hearings.
Thank you,
Cristyn Hypnar
CRISTYN HYPNAR
Graphic Designer | Photographer | Illustrator
http://www.cristynhypnarcreative.com/ | 248.229.9186
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From:E R
To:City Leaders
Subject:[EXTERNAL] Public Comment on the Fort Collins Budget
Date:Saturday, September 19, 2020 2:30:32 PM
Dear City Leaders,
I was very disappointed when I saw that the police budget was only being cut only $200,000
in 2021. The police budget should be reduced more with freed-up resources being allocated to
human services program grant funding, homelessness initiatives, mediation and restorative
justice and human service programs and affordable housing. If we better fund the programs
above, it will be easier for police officers to do their jobs because they will have support from
the right community resources. It will also make Fort Collins a better community to live in
because there will be fewer people with housing insecurity and it will encourage more
equality.
The Graffiti Abatement Program seems like an area that could be cut further as well.
Occasional graffiti being seen in Fort Collins would be fine if we could help support homeless
members of the community better and provide better social services.
Thanks,
Evelyn Ritter
evelyn.ritter33@gmail.com
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From:Sarah KaneTo:City Clerk Office; Melanie Clark; Dawn KennedyCc:Amy Resseguie; Lawrence PollackSubject:RE: [EXTERNAL] AquaticsDate:Tuesday, September 29, 2020 3:00:39 PMAmy/LawrenceIs your office collecting feedback on Budget?Sarah. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sarah KaneSupervisor, AdministrationExecutive Administrative Assistant to Mayor Wade TroxellCity of Fort Collins970-416-2447 office “The City of Fort Collins is an organization that supports equity for all, leading with race. Weacknowledge the role of local government in helping create systems of oppression and racism and arecommitted to dismantling those same systems in pursuit of racial justice. Learn more.” COVID-19 RESOURCESFor all residents: https://www.fcgov.com/eps/coronavirusConnect with resources: https://uwaylc.org/ RECURSOS COVID-19Para miembros de la comunidad: https://www.fcgov.com/eps/coronavirusRecursos de United Way: https://uwaylc.org/ From: City Clerk Office <cityclerk@fcgov.com> Sent: Tuesday, September 29, 2020 2:50 PMTo: Sarah Kane <SKane@fcgov.com>; Melanie Clark <MCLARK@fcgov.com>; Dawn Kennedy<dkennedy@fcgov.com>Subject: FW: [EXTERNAL] Aquatics FYI……. Should I forward this to others?
From: Mia Ramsey <ramseymia1@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, September 29, 2020 1:52 PM
To: City Clerk Office <cityclerk@fcgov.com>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Aquatics
To Whom It May Concern:
As the Fort Collins City Council considers budgeting outcomes for the upcoming two years, I
encourage you to continue funding for aquatics. Our aquatic facilities are used by the full
spectrum of our community from learn to swim, competitive and recreational swimming, fitness
and rehab, scuba and lifeguard training. Continuing to support these facilities is vital to the
wellness and safety of our community. Personally, my family has greatly benefited from our
nationally recognized Fort Collins Area Swim Team which relies on our city run aquatic
facilities. Especially during this time when social outlets and sport opportunities are so limited,
swimming has been a lifesaver for my children and my family. And it is one activity that I feel they
can do safely. I strongly support continuing Fort Collins’ excellence in aquatics and believe this
benefits our
entire community.
Thank you,
Mia Ramsey
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From:City Clerk OfficeTo:Sarah Kane; Melanie Clark; Dawn Kennedy; Amy ResseguieSubject:FW: [EXTERNAL] Message to support funding aquaticsDate:Tuesday, September 29, 2020 3:19:58 PMFYI….
Here is another email regarding budget.
From: Elizabeth Furuiye <furuiye@mac.com>
Sent: Tuesday, September 29, 2020 1:42 PM
To: City Clerk Office <cityclerk@fcgov.com>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Message to support funding aquatics
Good day-
As the Fort Collins City Council considers budgeting outcomes for the upcoming two years, I
encourage you to continue funding for aquatics. Our aquatic facilities are used by the full
spectrum of our community from learn to swim, competitive and recreational swimming, fitness
and rehab, scuba and lifeguard training. Continuing to support these facilities is vital to the
wellness and safety of our community. Personally, my family has greatly benefited from our
nationally recognized Fort Collins Area
Swim Team which relies on our city run aquatic facilities. Starting our children in a swim program
to become stronger swimmers then turned into a lifetime sport, engagement in high school
swimming and employment as a lifeguards. I strongly support continuing Fort Collins’ excellence
in aquatics and believe this benefits our entire community.
In future, as budgets are more flexible, I’d push for an increase in aquatic space. It is
unacceptable to me that the city should so severely limit the ability to have more aquatic space
when every Loveland HS has a pool for swim teams, plus public Rec centers. I find it
dissatisfactory that our community, of which we pay what I feel is high taxes both property and
other, that we are so limited in our ability to provide aquatic space for every age level of
participant. In this particular year of consideration, I strongly urge the city to continue aquatic
funding.
Thank you for your time and assistance-
Elizabeth
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From:Travis StorinTo:Amy Resseguie; Amanda KingCc:Lawrence PollackSubject:FW: [EXTERNAL] Budgeting Outcomes Feedback From Joy DeckerDate:Tuesday, September 29, 2020 3:59:32 PM Travis
970-416-2367
From: Joy Decker <joydecker1462@yahoo.com>
Sent: Tuesday, September 29, 2020 3:25 PM
To: Susan Gutowsky <sgutowsky@fcgov.com>; City Leaders <CityLeaders@fcgov.com>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Budgeting Outcomes Feedback From Joy Decker
Dear Council Members,
As the Fort Collins City Council considers budgeting outcomes for the upcoming two years, I
encourage you to continue funding for aquatics. Our aquatic facilities are used by the full
spectrum of our community from learn to swim, competitive and recreational swimming, fitness
and rehab, scuba and lifeguard training. Continuing to support these facilities is vital to the
wellness and safety of our community. Personally, my family has greatly benefited from our
nationally recognized Fort Collins Area
Swim Team which relies on our city run aquatic facilities. Starting our children in a swim program
to become stronger swimmers then turned into a lifetime sport, engagement in high school
swimming and employment as a lifeguards. I strongly support continuing Fort Collins’ excellence
in aquatics and believe this benefits our entire community.
Joy Decker
1914 Mainsail Drive
Fort Collins, CO 80524
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From:Sarah KaneTo:Amy ResseguieSubject:Fwd: [EXTERNAL] City aquatic facilities fundingDate:Tuesday, September 29, 2020 4:44:32 PMAnother one for your collection. Thx!Begin forwarded message:
From: April Maston <april.maston@gmail.com>
Date: September 29, 2020 at 3:32:46 PM MDT
To: Sarah Kane <SKane@fcgov.com>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] City aquatic facilities funding
Dear Mayor Troxell,
As the Fort Collins City Council considers budgeting outcomes for the
upcoming two years, I encourage you to continue funding for aquatics.
Our aquatic facilities are used by the full spectrum of our community
from learn to swim, competitive and recreational swimming, fitness and
rehab, scuba and lifeguard training. Continuing to support these facilities
is vital to the wellness and safety of our community. Personally, my
family has greatly benefited from our nationally recognized Fort Collins
Area Swim Team which relies on our city run aquatic facilities. Starting
our children in a swim program to become stronger swimmers then
turned into a lifetime sport, engagement in high school swimming and
employment as a lifeguards. In addition, I personally use these facilities
3-4 times per week as a member of the FAST Masters club. I strongly
support continuing Fort Collins’ excellence in aquatics and believe this
benefits our entire community.
Sincerely,
April Maston
--
April Maston
april.maston@gmail.com
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To The Honorable Kristin Stephens, District 4
Letter to Fort Collins City Council Regarding Proposed Funding for Homelessness
We are a small group formed to help people in need in our community. This past year we have chosen
to study the causes and effects of Homelessness in Fort Collins. The work done to gather facts and
information about this subject by our current Homeward 2020 Alliance has given us perspective
regarding where our community is and where it proposes to be in the future with this matter.
When reviewing the current budget proposal, we would like to ask our council to consider thoughtfully
the budgeted amount of $415,721.00. To fulfil the needs that may arise in 2021 for Equity & Inclusion,
Affordable Housing, Homelessness, Mental and Behavioral Health and Community Well Being due to the
Pandemic; it would appear that double the $415,721.00, along with funds from outside agencies would
perhaps be more suitable.
Providing stable, long-term housing for people with marginal income; including those on social security
improves their quality of life, community involvement, and the quality of our community interactions
writ large.
We are proud to say our group is diverse coming from Colorado and all over the United States to make
Fort Collins our home. We also chose this community because of it’s progressive behavior, always
striving to make Fort Collins the “BEST” place to live. Your service and commitment to that model are
commendable and appreciated by us all!
Thank you for your time.
Respectfully Submitted,
Small Change #13
Harmony Ridge Estates
Connie W. Maxfield. Cwmaxfield@gmail.com
Ann Foster. Annmariefoster@msn.com
Liz Brown
Sheryl Shipley
Leila Russell
Tammy Bartolone
Alma Vigo-Morales
Joan Fetters
Susie Meadows
Cindy Mitchell
Barb Kistler
Sue Walker
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From:b c
To:Sarah Kane
Subject:[EXTERNAL] 2021 City of Fort Collins Budget
Date:Friday, October 2, 2020 10:37:00 AM
Dear Mayor Troxell,
I am writing to demand that the 2021 Budgeting For Outcomes process and final approved budget include direct investment in, equity for, and inclusion of Black, Indigenous, People of
Color (BIPOC) in our community. I am a Fort Collins community member in District 5.
The City of Fort Collins has a stated value of pursuing equity leading with race; the City Manager’s recommended budget does little to define the City’s view of equity, center the voices of
BIPOC leaders and community members, or demonstrate this value with concrete budget choices and investments. In fact, “equity” is mentioned only sparingly across the entire budget.
The Community Engagement process to influence these choices is already exclusionary: it requires time, internet access, and fluency in English and financial jargon to understand. Further,
because of the reactionary nature of the budget to COVID-19, this nearly 400-page document was made public only 14 days before the first public hearing. These constraints actively exclude
the community members most impacted by these decisions: Black, Indigenous, People of Color, our neighbors and colleagues who are undocumented, and people with low-income. Over
19% of Fort Collins residents are Latinx and 2,215 students within PSD speak a language other than English at home, and yet there is no commitment to language justice to support
participation for these families. These communities are also those most disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and its effects on the economy; we should be increasing our
investment in these communities, not continuing to exclude them.
Most importantly, the content of the budget does not demonstrate a commitment to equity leading with race:
Social Sustainability, the department responsible for issues around racial equity and poverty, was cut 43% over the previous year in this budget.
As we continue to advocate for divestment in policing and investment in community healing, police are the only City employees receiving a raise in 2021.
There is a lack of transparency and specificity across all police budgets categories, including increases for the Office of the Chief and Community and Special Services with no
explanation.
Waste Reduction and Air Quality, two key environmental health programs that are part of the few that explicitly mention benefits to and impacts on BIPOC were reduced or
eliminated.
There is no acknowledgment of digital access gaps or explicit investment in ensuring access for BIPOC or low-income communities in the $18.1M Broadband core operations,
though the COVID crisis has made these gaps abundantly clear.
These are only a few examples of the ways that this budget actively excludes, erases, and otherwise harms Black, Indigenous, People of Color in Fort Collins.
To rectify these issues, we, Black, Indigenous, People of Color and white allies, demand that City Council, the City Manager’s Office, and members of the Budget Leadership Team enact the
following immediately:
1.
Delay the budget approval process, and increase inclusion efforts including translation of all public budget documents, Strategic Plans, and budget offers, and increased
outreach to and engagement of BIPOC and low-income community members.
2.
Actively engage leaders of the BIPOC community to define (or re-define) outcomes and priority areas for investment.
3.
Increase investment into BIPOC communities and programs to support healing, health, and community-led safety by divesting from areas that do harm, including the police.
4.
Increase accountability to the BIPOC community by developing accessible, public-facing data on City performance against outcomes rooted in equity.
We believe our city leaders should speak with the community rather than above the community. It is critical these million-dollar decisions include community voice and input on the
potential benefits and harms to individuals, and especially our BIPOC communities. A budget is a moral document - Fort Collins’ budget should reflect an explicit moral investment in
equity leading with race. We need people-centered decisions that demonstrate the City’s stated values of equity, diversity, and inclusion.
I look forward to your reply.
Thank you,
Brett Cunningham
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From:Travis StorinTo:Amy Resseguie; Amanda KingCc:Lawrence PollackSubject:FW: [EXTERNAL] Budget proposalDate:Monday, October 5, 2020 9:22:46 AMMore budget input. Travis
970-416-2367
From: Gayla Martinez <gmaxwellmartinez@gmail.com>
Sent: Monday, October 5, 2020 6:27 AM
To: City Leaders <CityLeaders@fcgov.com>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Budget proposal
Dear Mayor Troxel and City Council Members,
I would like to address the proposed city budget for 2021. First, I understand how challenging it has
been to adjust expectations as a result of the unprecedented changes brought on by COVID-19. My
thanks to city staff for the incredible preparatory work they have done.
I would like to make comments on just two sections of the proposed budget.
27.10 This section asks for reductions in the air quality budget. This is one place where we cannot
afford to reduce our vigilance, our engagement and our work to improve the quality of life for Fort
Collins citizens, especially in regards to air quality monitoring. Where will that money come from?
I notice that in several places the city has eliminated funding for catering to different boards or
reduced the amount of money for city events. This seems to me a reasonable way to reallocate
funding. These reductions could be increased if the decision is made to extend these cuts
throughout 2021. Although it might be desirable to begin in person meetings, events and activities
sometime in 2021, perhaps those decisions for a return to “normal” should be deferred until
increased tax revenues provide confirmation that we have moved beyond the current crisis.
Another possible source of further budget reductions is in police services. There is significant
community support for reducing police presence in schools and in general to eliminate those kinds
of expenditures that might be seen as increasing the militarization of our local police services.
27.12 I was also concerned to see how far in the hole the Timberline Recycling Center is. This is a
service that our family uses on a regular basis. Our budget is tight enough that a $2.00-$3.00 fee
would probably reduce the number of visits we could afford to make.
It is apparent that the underlying problem has to do with low recycling markets, an issue that is likely
to be on-going and that would require state or regional efforts to resolve (Europeans have done it;
we could too). Another option would be to intensify public education in regards to how to minimize
—not just recycle, but avoid producing—waste. This effort will necessarily extend beyond individual
households and will require changes in business practices regarding packaging, advertising, etc.
Unfortunately, current health concerns have increased the use of single use plastics and other
disposables—in some cases unnecessarily. As we move beyond COVID-19 we need to move
aggressively toward the elimination of waste in all forms. I am inspired by minimalists who can fit an
entire year’s worth of waste into a quart jar. The challenge can extend beyond reducing what goes
to the landfill to reducing what we recycle as well.
Thank you again for your work on behalf of the citizens of Fort Collins.
Sincerely,
Gayla Maxwell Martinez
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From:Travis StorinTo:Amanda King; Amy ResseguieCc:Lawrence PollackSubject:FW: [EXTERNAL] Regarding the 2021 City BudgetDate:Monday, October 5, 2020 9:23:27 AMOne more this morning. Travis
970-416-2367
From: Amber Quann <amberj.quann@gmail.com>
Sent: Saturday, October 3, 2020 12:04 PM
To: City Leaders <CityLeaders@fcgov.com>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Regarding the 2021 City Budget
Dear Fort Collins City Leaders,
I am writing in regards to the 2021 City of Fort Collins budget.
The City of Fort Collins has a stated value of pursuing equity for all community members. I am
concerned that the 2021 recommended budget doesn’t clearly define the City’s view of equity, and
establish clear ways that the communities most affected by “equity” measures can have their voices
heard and incorporated into policy decisions.
The Community Engagement process for budget review is already difficult for any community
member to participate in, and can be even more so for Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC)
communities as it requires time, internet access, and fluency in English to understand. Since over
19% of Fort Collins residents are Latinx and 2,215 students within PSD speak a language other than
English at home, I hope in the future the city can take some additional steps towards making the
budget review process accessible for these families.
Some of these steps to follow through on the City’s stated commitment to “equity," specifically with
regards to the budget process, could include:
Translating public budget documents and increasing engagement with BIPOC and low-income
community members during budget planning and approval process.
Working to define what “equity” means to the City of Fort Collins, and defining what equity
outcomes should look like for BIPOC communities. In order to do these steps effectively,
active engagement with leaders of the BIPOC community will be essential.
Providing accountability to the BIPOC community by making sure that there is accessible,
public data on how the City is performing on those equity outcomes.
I understand that this process is difficult and involves a lot of nuance, but I think that the Fort Collins
community is worth the tough work and investment. Thank you for your time and continued effort
to promote equity for all of our neighbors!
Best,
- Amber
--
Amber Quann KPA-CTP, CPDT-KA
Summit Dog Training LLC
Fort Collins, CO
www.summitdogtraining.com
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From:Sarah KaneTo:Matt Fater; Elizabeth Blythe; Amy ResseguieSubject:RE: [EXTERNAL] Water Board input on budgetDate:Monday, October 5, 2020 2:46:58 PMHi AmyDo you want to include these in the budget comments that you’re collecting? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sarah KaneSupervisor, AdministrationExecutive Administrative Assistant to Mayor Wade TroxellCity of Fort Collins970-416-2447 office “The City of Fort Collins is an organization that supports equity for all, leading with race. Weacknowledge the role of local government in helping create systems of oppression and racism and arecommitted to dismantling those same systems in pursuit of racial justice. Learn more.” COVID-19 RESOURCESFor all residents: https://www.fcgov.com/eps/coronavirusConnect with resources: https://uwaylc.org/ RECURSOS COVID-19Para miembros de la comunidad: https://www.fcgov.com/eps/coronavirusRecursos de United Way: https://uwaylc.org/ From: Matt Fater <MFATER@fcgov.com> Sent: Monday, October 5, 2020 11:43 AMTo: Elizabeth Blythe <eblythe@fcgov.com>; Sarah Kane <SKane@fcgov.com>Subject: FW: [EXTERNAL] Water Board input on budget Hi Elizabeth and Sarah – I’m curious if you could help me determine the appropriate approach topass on the Water Board’s comment on the proposed City Budget to City Council. Please see ourchairperson’s comments below.Thanks,
Matt
From: Steve Malers <steve.malers@gmail.com>
Sent: Friday, October 02, 2020 5:16 PM
To: Matt Fater <MFATER@fcgov.com>
Cc: Theresa Connor <TConnor@fcgov.com>; Katherine Martinez <kamartinez@fcgov.com>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Water Board input on budget
Matt:
Here are the important points that I recorded from the Water Board work session. I have received
no additional input from Water Board members. Can you help get these comments to the proper
person to pass on to Council? Let me know if some other format is needed. Feel free to make
clarifying edits if I am not using the correct terminology.
Thanks.
--------------
The following comments are from the Water Board, based on discussions at the October 1 Water
Board work session.
The Water Board supports the budget offer recommendations for the water funds as shown in the
draft City budget. It is important to maintain a high level of water utility services for customers. It is
also important to continue capital project programs in order to maintain the various water systems,
including ongoing infrastructure replacement programs.
New technologies such as in-place liners for pipes also offer innovation that could help reduce long-
term costs of system replacement. Recommended budget offers will allow evaluation of the
technologies and such insight will be used in future budgeting.
The Cameron Peak fire will have impacts on the budget for years to come and it is important that
staff be able to evaluate impacts and plan a response to the fire. The Water Board appreciates staff
efforts to sustain ongoing services and provide input for the budget during this time of COVID-19,
wildfires, and related impacts. Providing high quality water services to citizens of Fort Collins during
these troubling times ensures a level of stability that will help Fort Collins prosper as it recovers from
these challenging times.
--
Steve Malers
Chief Technology Officer
Open Water Foundation
320 East Vine Drive, Suite 203
Fort Collins, CO 80524
Work email: steve.malers@openwaterfoundation.org
Work phone: 970-286-7462
Personal email: steve.malers@gmail.com
Cell phone: 970-988-1447
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From:Travis StorinTo:Amanda King; Amy ResseguieCc:Lawrence PollackSubject:FW: [EXTERNAL] Budget FeedbackDate:Monday, October 5, 2020 4:01:44 PMOne more submission today Travis
970-416-2367
From: Claire McArdle <cmcardle622@gmail.com>
Sent: Monday, October 5, 2020 3:59 PM
To: City Leaders <CityLeaders@fcgov.com>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Budget Feedback
Dear Members of Fort Collins City Council,
Although the City of Fort Collins states that they pursue equity leading with race, the current
proposed budget does not reflect this value. As a resident of District 2, I demand that the 2021
budget include direct investment in, equity for, and inclusion of Black, Indigenous, People of Color
(BIPOC) in our community. Some areas of concern in the proposed budget include:
- Neighborhood Livability and Social Health, The department responsible for issues around racial
equity, poverty, affordable housing, and homelessness was cut 43% over the previous year in this
budget representing only 2.4% of total budget. This is a space that should be deeply invested in at a
time when all of these issues are being compounded by COVID-19
- Police are the only city employees receiving a raise in 2021. Police services receive approximately
$50 M in funding each year with minimal cuts. This figure includes funding to SROs during school
closures.
To rectify these concerns:
1. Actively engage leaders of the BIPOC community to define (or re-define) outcomes and
priority areas for investment.
2. Increase investment into BIPOC communities and programs to support healing, health, and
community-led safety by divesting from areas that do harm, including the police.
3. Reallocate funding from FCPD to Neighborhood Livability and Social Health.
Thank you,
Claire McArdle, LCSW
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From:Koty Erdmann
To:Wade Troxell; Kristin Stephens; Susan Gutowsky; Julie Pignataro; Ken Summers; Emily Gorgol; Ross Cunniff;
Sarah Kane
Subject:[EXTERNAL] Feedback regarding the Ad Hoc Budget Process and Inclusions Relating to Items Affecting our City"s
BIPOC Communities
Date:Monday, October 5, 2020 4:34:01 PM
Dear Mayor Troxell & City Council Members:
My name is Koty Erdmann and I live at 2608 Kansas Dr. J-161, Fort Collins, CO 80525. I am
writing to you today to ask you to address some of the challenges raised by the proposed city
budget for 2021. Namely:
Add additional time to the budget approval process. Given the truncated time frame,
document length, and the inaccessibility of some of the language within the budget (lots
of jargon, no translated materials in Spanish), more time can allow more members of
our community to feel comfortable in their understanding of what the budget entails and
provide their thoughts to the council. Understanding that this is an ad hoc budget,
outcomes still suffer (likely more for some groups than others) with a lack of
opportunity or accessible process for public engagement.
More transparently engage members of the Black, Indigenous, and other people of
color (BIPOC) in the budget drafting and approval process. In all 7 main areas of
the budget, language around BIPOC communities is vague or absent. What are the
current benchmarks you are using to ensure considerations of equity, and to what extent
has our city's BIPOC community been involved with setting those benchmarks? It is
hard to tell in what ways this budget may affect our most vulnerable communities
without explicitly being able to see the data of those issues that are currently affecting
them now, and how those issues may be exacerbated by the ongoing COVID-19
pandemic. If this budget does not clearly call out the council's accountability to the
BIPOC community, how are we to be sure that the budget's outcomes affecting those
groups are to be accurately measured?
Increase funding for "Neighborhood Livability & Social Health" and
involve BIPOC community members in project team leadership. This sector is
incredibly important during the current pandemic, and people in the BIPOC community
(who are already challenged with the challenges of structural racism), may now be
feeling doubly-affected. 28.8, 28.1, nor 31.3 do not clearly address accountability to the
BIPOC community, or how that community was involved (if involved) in creating the
benchmarks there. Instead of attributing money to a program for graffiti abatement, how
can funds be reallocated to address mental health concerns (a key issue now and not
clearly outlined elsewhere) or for anti-racism education in our community?
Prioritize subsidized Broadband for BIPOC and low-income communities. Internet
connectivity is essential, particularly now when schools and many jobs are partly or
fully online. BIPOC communities that may be experiencing exacerbated disparities
surrounding COVID-19 and connectivity issues should be explicitly addressed within
this - the largest budgetary expense. The budget should clearly outline which
communities are chosen for subsidization access and why.
Reallocate excessive Police budget spending. Why is the police budget receiving 50
million each year and has few cuts in the ad hoc budget, but the funding for
"Neighborhood Livability & Social Health", which only receives 16 million, being
slashed 50%? All additional new expenses for the police budget need to be justified
each and every year. Given that the Fort Collins community is calling for less policing,
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why the continued high spending here? Is there evidence to suggest that large police
budgets result in safer cities? Great presence of and access to social services and
community programming, particularly at a time when they are needed more than ever,
seems like a more 'outcomes' focused investment. The justification for this high
expense, in light of the lack of transparency from FCDP on their own accountability to
the BIPOC community (demographics of stops, arrests, tickets, etc), and the fact that the
FCDP is still accepting raises this coming year rather than abstaining due to the the
budgetary challenges the city is facing, this continued high budget does not seem
warranted.
I understand that this budget had to be put together quickly, however the inclusions are
important and directly affect the lives of every community member. During this difficult time,
the BIPOC community may experience additional disparities that are not clearly addressed
within the outcomes as they are now written. Thank you for your time and consideration and I
hope that you look once more at the feedback above.
Kind regards,
Koty Erdmann
koty.erdmann@gmail.com
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From:Travis StorinTo:Amanda King; Amy ResseguieCc:Lawrence PollackSubject:FW: [EXTERNAL] 2021 City BudgetDate:Tuesday, October 6, 2020 8:07:20 AM Travis
970-416-2367
From: Seanna Renworth <smrenworth@gmail.com>
Sent: Monday, October 5, 2020 11:13 PM
To: City Leaders <CityLeaders@fcgov.com>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] 2021 City Budget
Dear Members of Fort Collins City Council,
I am writing to demand that the 2021 Budgeting For Outcomes process and final approved budget
include direct investment in, equity for, and inclusion of Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) in
our community. I am a Fort Collins community member in District 5. The City of Fort Collins has a
stated value of pursuing equity leading with race; the City Manager’s recommended budget does
little to define the City’s view of equity, center the voices of BIPOC leaders and community
members, or demonstrate this value with concrete budget choices and investments. In fact,
“equity” is mentioned only sparingly across the entire budget. The Community Engagement process
to influence these choices is already exclusionary: it requires time,
internet access, and fluency in English and financial jargon to understand. Further, because of the
reactionary nature of the budget to COVID-19, this nearly 400-page document was made public only
14 days before the first public hearing. These constraints actively exclude the community members
most impacted by these decisions: Black, Indigenous, People of Color, our neighbors and colleagues
who are
undocumented, and people with low-income. Over 19% of Fort Collins residents are Latinx and 2,215
students within PSD speak a language other than English at home, and yet there is no commitment
to language justice to support participation for these families. These communities are also those
most disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and its effects on the economy; we should be
increasing our
investment in these communities, not continuing to exclude them.
Most importantly, the content of the budget does not demonstrate a commitment to equity leading
with race:
- As we continue to advocate for divestment in policing and investment in community healing, police
are the only City employees receiving a raise in 2021.
- There is a lack of transparency and specificity across all police budgets categories, including
increases for the Office of the Chief and Community and Special Services with no explanation.
- Waste Reduction and Air Quality, two key environmental health programs that are part of the few
that explicitly mention benefits to and impacts on BIPOC were reduced or eliminated.
- There is no acknowledgment of digital access gaps or explicit investment in ensuring access for
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BIPOC or low-income communities in the $18.1M Broadband core operations, though the COVID
crisis has made these gaps abundantly clear.
These are only a few examples of the ways that this budget actively excludes, erases, and otherwise
harms Black, Indigenous, People of Color in Fort Collins.
To rectify these issues, we, Black, Indigenous, People of Color and white allies, demand that City
Council, the City Manager’s Office, and members of the Budget Leadership Team enact the following
immediately:
1. Delay the budget approval process, and increase inclusion efforts including translation of all public
budget documents, Strategic Plans, and budget offers, and increased outreach to and engagement
of BIPOC and low-income community members.
2. Actively engage leaders of the BIPOC community to define (or re-define) outcomes and priority
areas for investment.
3. Increase investment into BIPOC communities and programs to support healing, health, and
community-led safety by divesting from areas that do harm, including the police.
4. Increase accountability to the BIPOC community by developing accessible, public-facing data on
City performance against outcomes rooted in equity.
We believe our city leaders should speak with the community rather than above the community. It is
critical these million-dollar decisions include community voice and input on the potential benefits
and harms to individuals, and especially our BIPOC communities. A budget is a moral document -
Fort Collins’ budget should reflect an explicit moral investment in equity leading with race. We need
people-centered decisions that demonstrate the City’s stated values of equity, diversity, and
inclusion.
I look forward to your reply.
Thank you,
Seanna Renworth
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From:Travis StorinTo:Amanda King; Amy ResseguieCc:Lawrence PollackSubject:FW: Draft 2021 City BudgetDate:Tuesday, October 6, 2020 8:08:19 AM Travis
970-416-2367
From: Karen Artell <K_ARTELL@msn.com>
Sent: Monday, October 5, 2020 7:56 PM
To: City Leaders <CityLeaders@fcgov.com>
Cc: Jeff Swoboda <JSwoboda@fcgov.com>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Draft 2021 City Budget
Hello Mayor, City Council Members and Chief Swoboda
Thank you to City staff for all their efforts in preparing the Draft City 2021 Budget.
I have some thoughts on the budget for you to consider. I hope my comments are not
confusing.
Regarding the Safe Community related budget offers, I support the ongoing funding of Fort
Collins Police Services including the following:
65.3 Enhancement: Encampment Cleaning and Prevention - this is an important public health
measure for the City's neighborhoods, businesses, and public spaces.
18.26 Redeploy: Police Campus West and Bike Patrol to Homelessness Coordinator (1.0 FTE),
Street Outreach and Restorative Justice - all budgeted services and enhanced services for
those experiencing homelessness are important for the health of our community and its
residents.
According to the budget the redeployed funds will be used for:
1. Homeless Coordinator in Sustainability
2. Support for programs and services that enable people to exit out of homelessness and
prevention work that limits people falling into homelessness
3. City of Fort Collins Restorative Justice program (RESTOR)
18.28 Police Collective Bargaining Unit Contractual Wage Increases TBA. As a former union
member, I support the City maintaining its contractual obligations under the collective
bargaining agreement.
The following funding offers are particularly important with the City’s increasing population
and increased use of our parks and natural areas as a recreation outlet for all of us related to
COVID-19.
65.1 Parks Ranger Program
65.2 Natural Areas Rangers
Within offer 18.3 School Resource Officers: 1 sergeant, 2 corporals and 11 police officers
provide essential safety and outreach in the schools. By contract, PSD and the City each pay
50% of this program. My understanding is PSD extended the use of SROs for this school year.
The use of SROs in our schools predates the rise in school shootings in the U.S. I do wonder if
SROs provide added protection from or prevention of school shootings but I have not
researched the issue. I have grandchildren in the Poudre School District. My children and
grandchildren are mixed race with the oldest grandchild starting high school this year. In any
case, I think the decision on whether to continue SROs in PSD should prioritize the opinions
and needs of parents, students, teachers and school staff and not activists on either side of
the debate.
I'm not sure where this fits into the budget but I support the mental health co-response
partnership with UC Health along with the use of a paramedic working with officers on the
team to help those experiencing a mental health crisis. I would like to see the program
expanded with additional funding. I believe Chief Swoboda mentioned at the last Council work
session that a second co-response team would be hired soon.
Diversity of sworn police officers within the Police Department isn't addressed in the City
budget but I would like to address the issue as being related to the hiring and training of
officers. Please see race and ethnicity data
from https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fortcollinscitycolorado for the City of Fort Collins and
Fort Collins Police Department data on race and
ethnicity https://www.fcgov.com/police/transparency
I would like to see the Department further diversify by adding Hispanic officers to match the
City's population percentage and hire more Black officers. I would like to see the Department
report on the number and percentage of Asian and Native American officers. Those identifying
as Asian are at 3.4% in the City's population but no officers are noted as being Asian or Native
American in the Department. I would like to see the hiring of more female officers.
Looking at arrest/citation and traffic citations for the Department - Black individuals are cited
much more than I would expect based on the number and percentage of Black individuals in
the City's population. An explanation as to why and a plan to remedy the issue would be
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bargaining agreement. The following funding offers are particularly important with the City’s increasing populationand increased use of our parks and natural areas as a recreation outlet for all of us related toCOVID-19.65.1 Parks Ranger Program 65.2 Natural Areas Rangers Within offer 18.3 School Resource Officers: 1 sergeant, 2 corporals and 11 police officersprovide essential safety and outreach in the schools. By contract, PSD and the City each pay50% of this program. My understanding is PSD extended the use of SROs for this school year.The use of SROs in our schools predates the rise in school shootings in the U.S. I do wonder if
SROs provide added protection from or prevention of school shootings but I have not
researched the issue. I have grandchildren in the Poudre School District. My children and
grandchildren are mixed race with the oldest grandchild starting high school this year. In any
case, I think the decision on whether to continue SROs in PSD should prioritize the opinions
and needs of parents, students, teachers and school staff and not activists on either side of
the debate.
I'm not sure where this fits into the budget but I support the mental health co-response
partnership with UC Health along with the use of a paramedic working with officers on the
team to help those experiencing a mental health crisis. I would like to see the program
expanded with additional funding. I believe Chief Swoboda mentioned at the last Council work
session that a second co-response team would be hired soon.
Diversity of sworn police officers within the Police Department isn't addressed in the City
budget but I would like to address the issue as being related to the hiring and training of
officers. Please see race and ethnicity data
from https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fortcollinscitycolorado for the City of Fort Collins and
Fort Collins Police Department data on race and
ethnicity https://www.fcgov.com/police/transparency
I would like to see the Department further diversify by adding Hispanic officers to match the
City's population percentage and hire more Black officers. I would like to see the Department
report on the number and percentage of Asian and Native American officers. Those identifying
as Asian are at 3.4% in the City's population but no officers are noted as being Asian or Native
American in the Department. I would like to see the hiring of more female officers.
Looking at arrest/citation and traffic citations for the Department - Black individuals are cited
much more than I would expect based on the number and percentage of Black individuals in
the City's population. An explanation as to why and a plan to remedy the issue would beappreciated. Also, it's unfortunate that data for Hispanic citations/arrests and traffic citations
can't be collected.
73.1 Poudre Fire Operation, Maintenance & Capital - support.
Regarding graffiti - tagging is not art. Graffiti degrades and defaces City facilities,
neighborhood parks and natural areas, the downtown area and businesses and alleys. 17.1
Graffiti Abatement Program is funded and should remain funded. Of course, funding youth
programs in an effort to prevent tagging is a good idea and I support finding funding to youth
programs but graffiti abatement should continue.
Thank you for your consideration.
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From:Dawn KennedyTo:Amy ResseguieSubject:FW: [EXTERNAL] 2021 Budget feedbackDate:Tuesday, October 6, 2020 9:15:23 AMThis was in Darin’s email this morning! Please let me know if I should not be forwarding to you! Thanks J . . . . . . . . . .Dawn KennedyExecutive Assistant to the City ManagerCity of Fort Collins, ColoradoCell: 201-247-3543“The City of Fort Collins is an organization that supports equity for all, leading with race. Weacknowledge the role of local government in helping create systems of oppression and racismand are committed to dismantling those same systems in pursuit of racial justice. Learn more.” COVID19 ResourcesFor all residents: https://www.fcgov.com/eps/coronavirus For businesses: https://www.fcgov.com/business/Want to help: https://www.fcgov.com/volunteer/Información en español: https://www.fcgov.com/eps/coronavirus-informacion
From: Nicholas Malensek <nick@malensek.net>
Sent: Monday, October 05, 2020 7:59 PM
To: Ken Summers <ksummers@fcgov.com>
Cc: Wade Troxell <WTroxell@fcgov.com>; Darin Atteberry <DATTEBERRY@fcgov.com>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] 2021 Budget feedback
Dear Councilmember Summers,
I am a Fort Collins resident in district 3 and wanted to provide my feedback on the city's 2021
budget. I acknowledge that this year was likely more difficult to plan due to the pandemic and that
the pandemic probably shaped the budget's current state, but I still feel it is important to provide
feedback.
The budget is focused on pure dollar amounts and has almost no explanation why the budget is
allocated the way it is. One prime example of this was during the mid-September budget public
hearing. Citizens repeatedly brought up the ~40% cut to the Neighborhood Livability outcome area,
only to have a city financial officer clarify it wasn't a cut but was because CARES funding was used
up. If the budget contained more explanation, even just for exceptional cases like CARES funding, it
would be easier to understand. Clarity aside, translation is non-existent despite roughly 20% of the
city's population speaking a language other than English at home. I would like to see translated
versions of the budget to ensure all of the community can participate.
The budget also has misplaced priorities compared to the city's adopted 2020 Strategic Plan. The
first and third Guiding Themes & Principles in the Strategic Plan are Affordability and Equity,
Inclusion and Diversity. Neighborhood Livability is the outcome that specifically mentions those
topics; however, it is receiving only a slight increase in 2021 and remains only 2.4% of the budget. I
recognize that those themes/principles likely overlap several outcome areas, but when the only
outcome that mentions them is staying roughly the same, I question whether the proposed budget
matches the city's themes and principles.
Finally, it's not clear how outcomes are evaluated or prioritized, and there's no data on outcome
efficacy. Providing transparency on who comes up with the priority areas for investment and
ensuring that everyone in the community, especially BIPOC and low-income community members, is
involved is critical.
I'm advocating for an increase to the Neighborhood Livability outcome; increasing investment into
BIPOC communities and programs to support healing, health, and community-led safety by divesting
from areas that do harm, including the police; and increasing accountability to the BIPOC community
by developing accessible, public-facing data on city performance against outcomes rooted in equity.
Sincerely,
Nick Malensek
Fort Collins, 80528
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From:Dawn KennedyTo:Amy ResseguieSubject:FW: Defund police in FY21 budgetDate:Tuesday, October 6, 2020 10:09:56 AM
From: Bubb,Hayley <Hayley.Bubb@colostate.edu>
Sent: Monday, October 05, 2020 3:37 PM
To: Darin Atteberry <DATTEBERRY@fcgov.com>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Defund police in FY21 budget
Dear Mr. Atteberry,
The strategic plan states the values of “equity, diversity and inclusion.” However, this does not
seem to be prioritized in the proposed 2021 budget. As I’m sure you’re aware, there have been
calls locally and nationally to defund the police and allocate that funding to programs that
serve to uphold an ethic of equity and justice and uplift communities - especially BIPOC
communities, low-income communities, immigrant communities, and unhoused communities.
Despite these calls, the proposed 2021 city budget allocates $47.9 million to policing, which is
a 25.3% increase from the previous year. In contrast, the office of social sustainability (which
actually addresses issues of equity, affordable housing, and racial justice) receives merely $3.2
million, which is a 43% decrease from last year. Additionally, police are the only employees
that are receiving a salary increase and the Full Time Equivalents allocated to this sector are
over 36 times greater than the Full Time Equivalents allocated to social sustainability.
This financial discrepancy reveals a moral misalignment with the stated values of “equity,
diversity, and inclusion” that is particularly poignant during the COVID-19 pandemic, which
has increased inequities as many have been left without jobs and struggling to pay rent. The
large sum of money that goes to policing and criminalizing our neighbors would be better
spent on providing us all with vital services. Thank you for your time.
Best,
Hayley Bubb
MS Student in Ecology
Colorado State University
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From:Dawn KennedyTo:Amy ResseguieSubject:FW: [EXTERNAL] Budget proposalDate:Tuesday, October 6, 2020 10:13:27 AM
From: Gayla Martinez <gmaxwellmartinez@gmail.com>
Sent: Monday, October 05, 2020 6:27 AM
To: City Leaders <CityLeaders@fcgov.com>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Budget proposal
Dear Mayor Troxel and City Council Members,
I would like to address the proposed city budget for 2021. First, I understand how challenging it has
been to adjust expectations as a result of the unprecedented changes brought on by COVID-19. My
thanks to city staff for the incredible preparatory work they have done.
I would like to make comments on just two sections of the proposed budget.
27.10 This section asks for reductions in the air quality budget. This is one place where we cannot
afford to reduce our vigilance, our engagement and our work to improve the quality of life for Fort
Collins citizens, especially in regards to air quality monitoring. Where will that money come from?
I notice that in several places the city has eliminated funding for catering to different boards or
reduced the amount of money for city events. This seems to me a reasonable way to reallocate
funding. These reductions could be increased if the decision is made to extend these cuts
throughout 2021. Although it might be desirable to begin in person meetings, events and activities
sometime in 2021, perhaps those decisions for a return to “normal” should be deferred until
increased tax revenues provide confirmation that we have moved beyond the current crisis.
Another possible source of further budget reductions is in police services. There is significant
community support for reducing police presence in schools and in general to eliminate those kinds
of expenditures that might be seen as increasing the militarization of our local police services.
27.12 I was also concerned to see how far in the hole the Timberline Recycling Center is. This is a
service that our family uses on a regular basis. Our budget is tight enough that a $2.00-$3.00 fee
would probably reduce the number of visits we could afford to make.
It is apparent that the underlying problem has to do with low recycling markets, an issue that is likely
to be on-going and that would require state or regional efforts to resolve (Europeans have done it;
we could too). Another option would be to intensify public education in regards to how to minimize
—not just recycle, but avoid producing—waste. This effort will necessarily extend beyond individual
households and will require changes in business practices regarding packaging, advertising, etc.
Unfortunately, current health concerns have increased the use of single use plastics and other
disposables—in some cases unnecessarily. As we move beyond COVID-19 we need to move
aggressively toward the elimination of waste in all forms. I am inspired by minimalists who can fit an
entire year’s worth of waste into a quart jar. The challenge can extend beyond reducing what goes
to the landfill to reducing what we recycle as well.
Thank you again for your work on behalf of the citizens of Fort Collins.
Sincerely,
Gayla Maxwell Martinez
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From:Dawn KennedyTo:Amy ResseguieSubject:FW: [EXTERNAL] Re: 2021 Recommended Budget per Carnegie Center for CreativityDate:Tuesday, October 6, 2020 4:59:33 PM
From: Jeanne Shoaff <jeanneshoaff@comcast.net>
Sent: Tuesday, October 06, 2020 3:51 PM
To: City Leaders <CityLeaders@fcgov.com>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Re: 2021 Recommended Budget per Carnegie Center for Creativity
Dear City Council Members,
I am writing to convey my concerns regarding the elimination of program funding for the Carnegie
Center for Creativity (CCC) in the 2021 Budget Cycle. As the City’s Gallery Coordinator for the Lincoln
Center from 2009-2018 and the staff person responsible for managing the programs of the CCC from
its inception, I know first-hand the positive impact that this public cultural space has had on our
community. I am deeply saddened to see that these programs would be eliminated in 2021 and am
further concerned that once eliminated, the CCC would not regain its funding after 2021. There is no
question in my mind of the significant role the CCC plays across our community. Surely the small
savings that eliminating these programs will provide do not outweigh the value they offer to a
community that will be recovering from the significant distresses of 2020. I am writing to urge all
Council Members to fully fund the programs of the CCC in the next budget cycle and here is why:
The CCC creates enhanced arts and culture participation opportunities for all residents and
visitors. The loss of affordable community space for exhibitions, performances, classes, special
events and meeting will impact well over 250 artists, and at least 11,000 people who attended
events in 2019. The artists and audience members consist of children, adults, non-profit
organizations, artists and non-artists from all walks of life in the Fort Collins community. Its
spaces are used for visual and performing arts, community arts and civic organizations, private
enterprise businesses, small business and creative sector businesses to name a few.
Hundreds of our local artists will lose not only a home for display and performance, but a
significant source of community, inspiration and support. The CCC is the only City sponsored
building that holds affordable space for individual artists to imagine, create and share their art
with the wider community.
The main floor spaces of the CCC are among Fort Collins’ largest and most beautiful galleries.
The classroom and other meeting spaces in the building offer opportunities for people in our
community to participate in hands-on art-making, community building, and civic
engagement.
Most importantly, the recovery of our community from the isolating and distressing
experiences of the COVID-19 health emergency and the racial justice reckoning will require
the resilience and inspiration that cultural arts engagement brings to community building. In
future years the existence of meaningful and accessible arts programming for all community
members will be more important than ever. Eliminating access to creative spaces and
programs such as the CCC provides will greatly diminish our ability as a City to find resilience
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and create innovative approaches to the issues that face us in Fort Collins and in the country
as a whole.
Fort Collins voters supported a sales tax extension that has earmarked funding for much
needed renovations to the history Carnegie building. The fact that funds were approved for
this purpose confirms the importance that this building has in the hearts and minds of Fort
Collins residents. I sincerely hope that all City Council members recognize that with this
commitment of tax payers’ dollars comes the expectation that the CCC will remain fully
funded into the future to provide innovative, accessible and, frankly, joyful creative arts
programming.
I hope that each of you, as guardians of our City’s spirit of creativity and innovation, will reconsider
elimination of programming for the Carnegie Center for Creativity and will heartily champion and
prioritize the CCC program funding in the future.
Sincerely,
Jeanne Shoaff
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From:Dawn KennedyTo:Amy ResseguieSubject:FW: [EXTERNAL] Comments on budget proposalDate:Tuesday, October 6, 2020 5:25:41 PM
From: Cindy Conlin <cindyconlin@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, October 06, 2020 5:15 PM
To: City Leaders <CityLeaders@fcgov.com>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Comments on budget proposal
Dear city leaders,
Thanks for your service on the city council. I live just south of CSU, in district 5.
Here are a few thoughts about the city budget.
1. Due to the pandemic and need for online schooling, please prioritize the installation of Connexion
to low-income areas of town (especially where black, indigenous, or Latinx people live), including
mobile home parks, especially those that do not currently have internet access available through
other providers, so that families and students in those areas will have access to high-speed internet
and not fall further behind.
2. Opposition to increasing police salaries. I realize that due to negotiated contracts, police salaries
are slated to increase. I request that the city renegotiate the contract (like other cities have done) to
be able to NOT increase salaries this year in light of the needed widespread budget cuts.
3. Transportation budget. Please do not reduce standard transit routes - doing so is very harmful to
people who otherwise would not have transportation and need to travel for work and other
essential purposes. Reducing these routes may also result in a reduction of classified hourly
personnel. Maintaining the jobs of these personnel during this economic crisis and pandemic should
be prioritized over the transportation enhancements listed in the budget. Let's put off for another
non-crisis year enhancements like: increasing funding for maintaining mediums and parkways,
realigning Lemay over Vine drive, downtown parking garage enhancements, etc.
4. Please minimize cuts to the Neighborhood Livability & Social Health area, and do all possible to
avoid job losses among hourly staff working in this area. Within this area, please change the funding
directed toward the graffiti abatement program that is used to educate school children about graffiti
so that it funds anti-racism programs in the schools.
Thank you for considering my ideas.
Kind regards,
Cindy Conlin
737 Shadowmere Ct
Fort Collins CO 80526
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From:Travis StorinTo:Amanda King; Amy ResseguieCc:Lawrence PollackSubject:FW: [EXTERNAL] Public Comment on the Fort Collins City BudgetDate:Tuesday, October 6, 2020 6:43:37 PM Travis
970-416-2367
From: Adelaide Kuehn <addiekuehn@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, October 6, 2020 6:18 PM
To: City Leaders <CityLeaders@fcgov.com>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Public Comment on the Fort Collins City Budget
Dear Fort Collins Council Members,
I hope you are doing well. My name is Adelaide Kuehn, and I am a high school student living in Fort
Collins. I am writing to you today to voice my opinions on the 2021 city budget.
The largest problem I have found with the upcoming budget is the lack of accessibility within the
budget itself. It is really important that all members of our city can understand the proposed budget,
as it has such a large effect on our community. Most importantly, this year's budget largely affects
BIPOC communities, but there are barriers when it comes to accessing the budget for many of those
people. The budget is exclusionary in its language, its process, and its location. In the future, I would
like to see some changes to the city budget, so that everyone in our community can have a place in
our democracy. These changes include allowing for more time for public response to the budget,
providing Spanish translations, and creating versions of the budget that do not require internet
access.
I am also extremely disappointed with the way in which the budget clashes with public opinion. Over
this summer, a movement has arisen throughout the country calling for an end to our racist policing
system. This movement spread to our city of Fort Collins, and many community members called for
the defunding of our police system, especially in a time when funds could be better spent on COVID
relief. However, the budget doesn't reflect this request. In fact, the police force, specifically SROs,
are receiving salary increases. I'm disappointed with this fact for two reasons. A couple of months
ago, I spoke out about preventing police brutality in our communities, and council members
promised me that actions would be taken to reform our police system. Those actions start with
prioritizing social programs, and defunding policing programs. Unfortunately, next year's budget
raises funds for the police department and cuts 43% of the social sustainability budget, which is the
exact opposite of what we need. I am also disappointed by the continuous support for police in our
schools, despite public outcry against SROs. As a student, I can confidently say that I have never felt
safer because of an SROs presence, and I have heard many stories of how police in schools have
ruined student's lives. The funds for these police programs could be much better spent on mental
health counseling, COVID relief, and low-income support. I implore you to consider how much better
our community could be if social programs were funded instead of violent policing.
I hope you will consider these things when revising the budget.
Thank you for your time,
Adelaide Kuehn
Addiekuehn@gmail.com
80524
Virus-free. www.avg.com
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From:Travis StorinTo:Lawrence Pollack; Amanda King; Amy ResseguieSubject:FW: Budget Offer AnalysisDate:Tuesday, October 6, 2020 9:03:49 PMAttachments:2021-budget-CSU HIST.pdf2021-recommended-budget DAP.pdf Travis
970-416-2367
From: Judd,Joshua <Joshua.Judd@colostate.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, October 6, 2020 9:02 PM
To: City Leaders <CityLeaders@fcgov.com>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Budget Offer Analysis
City Leaders,
Thank you for hearing the public at the city council meeting tonight. For your reference, I’ve
attached to this email an annotated version of the offers I mentioned, and one I didn’t have a chance
to bring up in my remarks.
I encourage you to vote against a budget that pauses these programs. Although I understand the
logic behind “pausing” a program, I’m not aware of any guarantee that a program will recoup its
funding after it has been paused. If I have misunderstood the action as proposed, please let me
know.
Thank you again for your service to the community,
Joshua Judd
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47 NEIGHBORHOOD LIVABILITY AND SOCIAL HEALTHBudget Years: 2021Packages and OffersThis Offer supports the following Strategic Objectives: NLSH 1.1 - Improve and increase availability and choice of quality housing that is affordable to a broad range of income levels.-SAFE 5.3 - Partner with Poudre Fire Authority to provide high-quality fire prevention, community risk reduction and emergency response services.-2021 - $856,745 Engineering Development Review - Funded30.6The Engineering Development Review (EDR) team consists of four engineers, one technician, one administrative support position, and one manager. The EDR team reviews and manages all aspects of design and plan approval for the construction of public and private infrastructure required through the development review process. This includes civil engineering drawings, plats, easement and right-of-way dedications and vacations, engineering review, development agreements, permitting, and coordination with various departments and outside agencies, including attending public meetings for technical support.Productivity of the EDR team is measured by tracking deadlines in project reviews and Development Agreements. We have shown a review goal above the ninetieth percentile since beginning this practice in the third quarter 2019. The EDR Team is an essential part of the City, helping to create jobs, tax base, fees and progress.Offer Type: OngoingThis Offer supports the following Strategic Objectives: NLSH 1.6 - Align land use regulations and review procedures to guide development consistent with City Plan.-2021 - $534,331 Construction Inspection - Funded30.7This offer will fund inspection oversight and coordination of all infrastructure activities (both public and private) within the City right-of-way (ROW).Engineering Construction Inspection Provides:• Quality assurance of all improvements within the ROW, which reduces long term maintenance costs• Development review coordination to identify conflicts and opportunities with private and public projects• Coordination efforts with all City departments, private utilities, major private developments and partner agencies, which helps reduce project conflicts• Management of Small Cell (4G & 5G cell towers in the City ROW) permitting process. Small Cell towers are approved by the FCC to utilize City ROW for the placement of their infrastructure. Engineering will be managing the permitting process with review from other City departments. • Management and enforcement of City ROW codes, regulations, and permitting (e.g., major & minor encroachment permits, Downtown portable signs, illegal signage placed in City ROW, Downtown outdoor eating areas, newspaper racks)Offer Type: OngoingThis Offer supports the following Strategic Objectives: NLSH 1.6 - Align land use regulations and review procedures to guide development consistent with City Plan.-2021 - ($28,238) Reduction: Temporary Pause Historic Preservation Intern Program - Funded30.1248DocuSign Envelope ID: 33A9B7DB-90A5-45EE-A93C-BE9ECC94C9F9
48 NEIGHBORHOOD LIVABILITY AND SOCIAL HEALTHBudget Years: 2021Packages and OffersElimination of this hourly staff position would end 25 years of partnership with the CSU History Department to provide training and professional experience to graduate level students and emerging professionals. At just $25K yearly, this partnership has often more than paid for itself through successful grant writing and assisting residents in applying for financial assistance: In 2018 2019, this position assisted Operation Services and Parks to complete the $79,286 Ross Proving House grant and prepared $70,049 in State Tax Credit applications.Additionally, assisting a small core team of just three individuals, this position increases the Division's capacity by a full 25% and provides both the City's Historic Preservation and Planning Divisions the latest research and best practices, including, most significantly, on the sustainable retrofitting of historic buildings, which comprise 20% of Fort Collins building stock and form a critical piece to achieving Council's Climate Action Plan goals.Offer Type: ReductionThis Offer supports the following Strategic Objectives: ENV 4.1 - Intensify efforts to improve resilience and to meet 2030 climate, energy and 100% renewable electricity goals-NLSH 1.6 - Align land use regulations and review procedures to guide development consistent with City Plan.-ECON 3.4 - Foster infill and redevelopment opportunities consistent with City Plan policies.-2021 - ($45,888) Redeploy & Reduction: Energy Code Compliance Specialist (change to 100% L&P funding) - Funded30.13This redeployment offer shifts the Energy Code Compliance Specialist resources from 50/50 co funding between Community Development and Neighborhood Services (CDNS) and Utilities Energy Services to 100% Energy Services. This position is critical to meet business operations, specifically related to ensuring ongoing improvements to the energy code compliance and new energy code adoption, in addition to providing excellent customer service for the builder/developer community in Fort Collins. This position also provides essential services to meet Energy Policy and Climate Action Plan objectives. The responsibilities of this position include: • Providing high touch customer service, training and education. This position works closely with the contracting and design community to guide and assist in meeting requirements in the adopted energy code. In addition, this position interprets energy compliance reports, performs energy inspections, and often meets with contractors to come up with viable solutions to complex problems. With construction submittals, permits and revenue exceeding previous years in Fort Collins this position is paramount in providing customer service and meeting customer expectations. • Providing expert analysis, outreach, engagement and support related to the adoption of updated energy codes. The 2021 energy codes will be published in fall of 2020, initiating the City's review and adoption process. The 2021 energy codes include significant advancement in performance which will require engagement, education and training.The funding for this position has been removed from CDNS and added to Offer 12.123 (Utilities Energy Services) with neutral overall impact through associated reductions in line items for efficiency incentives and consulting services. This approach will have minimal impact on program savings while retaining the community benefits from continued energy code performance.Offer Type: Redeploy49DocuSign Envelope ID: 33A9B7DB-90A5-45EE-A93C-BE9ECC94C9F9
49 NEIGHBORHOOD LIVABILITY AND SOCIAL HEALTHBudget Years: 2021Packages and OffersThis Offer supports the following Strategic Objectives: NLSH 1.1 - Improve and increase availability and choice of quality housing that is affordable to a broad range of income levels.-SAFE 5.3 - Partner with Poudre Fire Authority to provide high-quality fire prevention, community risk reduction and emergency response services.-ENV 4.1 - Intensify efforts to improve resilience and to meet 2030 climate, energy and 100% renewable electricity goals-2021 - ($30,000) Reduction: Temporary Pause Design Assistance Program - Funded30.15The Design Assistance Program (DAP) was established in 2011 by Council as an educational approach to address the many complaints received from residents about the impacts of poorly designed new construction on neighboring properties and the cumulative effect of incompatible and out of scale development on Fort Collins' overall character. The program has been very successful, measured by a nearly 20% reduction in Access Fort Collins complaints on these issues between 2010 11 and 2018 19. The DAP also offers critical assistance to low-income households that would not otherwise be able to obtain professional design and technical advice from architects, contractors and engineers. Eliminating funding for the DAP will increase project approval by 2 to 4 weeks and increases the likelihood that a project is referred to the Landmark Preservation Commission. The initial problem the program addressed complaints to Council on out of character construction in established areas will likely increase. It reduces opportunities for low income homeowners to obtain professional advice on construction issues, and reduces funds available to residents to use as match for grants. The DAP minimizes the impacts of exterior additions and new construction by incentivizing the use of design, construction and engineering professionals with experience in developing context-sensitive solutions. All Old Town Neighborhood and Downtown property owners are eligible for assistance, as well as the owners of Fort Collins Landmark properties anywhere in Fort Collins and their immediate neighbors. Owners may request from $100 to a maximum of $2,000 for design consultation, drawings and plans, materials testing and structural engineering reports. In addition to reduced controversy, benefits of the program are reduced approval times and a far greater assurance that a project will be approved. Since its roll out in 2012, the outcomes of 144 construction projects have been improved.Offer Type: ReductionThis Offer supports the following Strategic Objectives: NLSH 1.6 - Align land use regulations and review procedures to guide development consistent with City Plan.-ECON 3.4 - Foster infill and redevelopment opportunities consistent with City Plan policies.-ENV 4.1 - Intensify efforts to improve resilience and to meet 2030 climate, energy and 100% renewable electricity goals-2021 - $806,599 Code Compliance - Funded31.1Funding this offer provides Code Compliance, Nuisance and Occupancy. These services contribute to the preservation, maintenance, and enhancement of neighborhoods. They encourage voluntary compliance and maintain neighborhood character. These services also reduce or eliminate nuisances that detract from appearance, cleanliness, and overall desirability of neighborhoods. For the Love of Cities by Peter Kageyama lists the three key aspects or "magic ingredients" to community satisfaction as openness, social offerings and aesthetics. We have also noticed a change in neighborhood pride and engagement around the above. A recent survey indicated neighbors have higher rates of satisfaction when they perceive others are adhering to nuisance and occupancy codes. Based on this information, Code inspectors take great pride in the work they do to enhance Offer Type: Ongoing50DocuSign Envelope ID: 33A9B7DB-90A5-45EE-A93C-BE9ECC94C9F9
50
From:Travis StorinTo:Amanda King; Amy Resseguie; Lawrence PollackSubject:FW: [EXTERNAL] Funds for immigrant defenseDate:Wednesday, October 7, 2020 9:18:45 AM Travis
970-416-2367
From: Cindy Conlin <cindyconlin@gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, October 7, 2020 8:38 AM
To: City Leaders <CityLeaders@fcgov.com>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Funds for immigrant defense
Hello city leaders,
Thanks again for a great council meeting last night.
Towards the end of the meeting there was some discussion of how an immigrant legal defense fund
might work and be structured. Hopefully we can find helpful models by looking at other cities.
I also wanted to make you aware of an organization here in Fort Collins that has experience
distributing grants to immigrant households. From March through September, the ISAAC Emergency
Immigration fund received and distributed over $250,000 to more than 500 immigrant families for
COVID relief grants, to assist families facing a crisis due to immigrant enforcement activities (such as
the detention of their breadwinner), and to fund legal expenses for a very narrow population of
unaccompanied minors (the Edgar Chocoy Fund).
The full name of ISAAC is the Interfaith Solidarity and Accompaniment Coalition. It is composed of
11 local faith communities and many individuals who are concerned about immigration justice. You
can find more information here:
Immigration Emergency Fund: https://foothillsuu.churchcenter.com/giving/to/noco-emergency-
immigration-fund?fbclid=IwAR32ijKRLkfAQph7Wgfs6smPNLh0L0Q3-16h8ptYDNbrj3vTMa-EERiH1w0
ISAAC of Northern Colorado: https://www.facebook.com/ISAACNorthernColorado
Kind regards,
Cindy Conlin
801-597-7903
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From:Travis StorinTo:Amanda King; Amy Resseguie; Lawrence PollackSubject:FW: [EXTERNAL] Re: Funds for immigrant defenseDate:Wednesday, October 7, 2020 2:37:24 PM Travis
970-416-2367
From: Cindy Conlin <cindyconlin@gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, October 7, 2020 10:06 AM
To: Ken Summers <ksummers@fcgov.com>; City Leaders <CityLeaders@fcgov.com>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Re: Funds for immigrant defense
Thanks for responding Ken. I'm hopeful the city could partner with ISAAC or other community
organizations to do the on-the-ground work needed for this immigrant defense fund.
Since the consequences of immigration violations are often more severe than the consequences of
criminal violations, I personally believe that legal defense for immigrant offenses should be publicly
funded just as legal defense for criminal offenses are. Our local immigration attorney Kim Baker
Medina had one of her asylum clients murdered within a few weeks of being deported to El Salvador
(Edgar Chocoy, there is now a play called De Novo about his story). When the stakes are that high,
immigrants deserve public defenders.
Thanks again for the conversation.
Kind regards,
Cindy Conlin
On Wed, Oct 7, 2020 at 8:54 AM Ken Summers <ksummers@fcgov.com> wrote:
Cindy
Thank you for this information. It is good to know this is being addressed as it should
through community involvement.
Ken Summers
Councilmember
With limited exceptions, emails and any files transmitted with them are subject to public disclosure
under the Colorado Open Records Act (CORA). To promote transparency, emails will be visible in an
online archive, unless the sender puts #PRIVATE in the subject line of the email. However, the City of
Fort Collins can’t guarantee that any email to or from Council will remain private under CORA.
From: Cindy Conlin <cindyconlin@gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, October 7, 2020 8:38 AM
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52
From:Travis StorinTo:Amanda King; Amy Resseguie; Lawrence PollackSubject:FW: [EXTERNAL] Tech help in trailer parks, low-income areasDate:Thursday, October 8, 2020 4:44:20 PM Travis
970-416-2367
From: Cindy Conlin <cindyconlin@gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, October 7, 2020 8:13 AM
To: City Leaders <CityLeaders@fcgov.com>; Ishiwata,Eric <Eric.Ishiwata@colostate.edu>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Tech help in trailer parks, low-income areas
Dear city leaders,
I appreciated the discussion in last night's council meeting.
Someone mentioned that getting broadband internet access to trailer parks and low-income areas is
not enough, because additional technology assistance is also required. I wanted to make you aware
that CSU professor Eric Ishiwata has organized a program to hire CSU ASSET students to provide this
technical training to Spanish-speaking families. I will copy Eric so you will have his contact
information in case you would like to partner with him.
Kind regards,
Cindy Conlin
801-597-7903
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From:Travis StorinTo:Amanda King; Amy Resseguie; Lawrence PollackSubject:FW: [EXTERNAL] Response to Public Hearing on 10/6/20Date:Thursday, October 8, 2020 4:48:49 PM Travis970-416-2367
From: Torin Kaletsky <tkaletsky@gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, October 7, 2020 7:56 AM
To: City Leaders <CityLeaders@fcgov.com>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Response to Public Hearing on 10/6/20
Good morning Mayor and Councilmembers:
My name is Torin, and I spoke at the zoom public hearing last night. It was my first time attending a
city council hearing, and I was surprised at how adversarial it was. After hearing from dozens of
community members, the council simply responded that people were misinformed. One council
member said that perhaps there had been some miscommunication on the city’s part, which in my
view is obvious if so many people appear at this meeting to oppose practices that you say are not
occurring. Yet there were plenty of concerns that you did not deny. The real concern I had while
witnessing all of this was: In what way are you allowing community members to be a part of the
budget development process if, after listening to us for hours, your immediate response is to shut us
down and tell us that we’re wrong?
Furthermore, one council member spoke about how they don’t understand how one caller came to
the conclusion that there had only been 14 days to review the budget. The fact is that the 393-page
budget was released 14 days before the first public hearing where community members could be
heard. Of course that isn’t enough time to read the document fully—especially for someone who has
a job and/or family responsibilities. Now that the budget has been out for 35 days, which still isn’t
very much time to process a dense 393-page document, our final opportunity for our voices to be
heard in a public forum has passed. The one thing I was glad to hear was that the message of the
budget being inaccessible was received.
The council and the chief of police referred to the closure of campus west and other reductions in the
police budget, which according to my calculations account for less than .4% of the police budget. It
is a disingenuous argument to talk about how you are “reducing” the police budget given this.
Conveniently, you did not have those figures handy despite receiving a ton of emails and feedback
about the police budget. Presumably you knew this would come up at this public hearing.
Additionally, the $1.7 million reduction figure I don’t see anywhere in the budget. Perhaps this is
counteracted by additions to the police budget?
Also to say that there is no way to delay the budget when so many other things in our lives have been
rewritten and delayed due to the global pandemic that has killed over 210,000 Americans is not a
reasonable argument. Coronavirus has been cited as a valid excuse to renegotiate contracts all over
the country, so to say that you must honor a contract to raise police salaries, especially when people
like myself who work for the government in Fort Collins have not and will not receive raises and
there are people earning less than I who have been furloughed or who need raises much more than
police officers, is denying your own responsibility and agency. The prioritizing of police raises and
the expansion of the police budget shows the true values of this city, and they are not equity,
diversity and inclusion.
I ask that instead of taking citizens’ notes and questions and suggestions and firing back with why
we’re wrong or how we don’t understand how government works, instead you take ownership of the
budget you have spent months working on (without taking seriously any input from us or from
community leaders, especially BIPOC), and make the needed changes. You still have until
November 17th if you don’t delay the date, and during the meeting one council member referred to
that deadline as “plenty of time” to review the budget.
I would really appreciate a response to this email, especially since I did not receive one for my
previous email on September 18th.
Thank you very much and have a good rest of your week,
Torin Kaletsky
He him his
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From: Julie Sutter <julie.sutter@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, October 6, 2020 9:25 PM
To: City Leaders <CityLeaders@fcgov.com>
Cc: Darin Atteberry <DATTEBERRY@fcgov.com>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Revising Budget Offer 9.3 -- Enhancement for Inclusive Public Engagement
Mayor Troxell, Fort Collins Councilmembers, and City Staff:
My name is Julie Sutter, and I live in Fort Collins District 6. During public comment at the October 6 City
Council meeting, I called your attention to a budget offer that I’d like you to co-create with us, the
residents of Fort Collins.
Now you’re probably thinking “but that’s not how budget offers work” (at least not this year) but I’m inviting
us to explore the possibility, particularly because this budget offer is related to Inclusive Public
Engagement. The current 2021 offer (9.3 in High Performing Government) is listed as “ongoing”,
meaning that it’s been submitted at the same level of funding from the last budget cycle -- but I’d like to
propose an enhancement to funding in this area, to serve strategic objective 7.3: Improve effectiveness
of community engagement with enhanced inclusion of all identities, languages and needs.
We can all agree that the COVID-19 global pandemic has caused significant turmoil. “Due to the delays in
the budget process while staff addressed the immediate 2020 public health and fiscal implications of the
pandemic, [City staff] were not able to conduct a standard public engagement process prior to the
delivery of this recommended budget,” and Council has already determined it is necessary to revise the
budget process using “a variety of budget-balancing strategies, such as adjustment to service levels”. I
am suggesting that one of those adjustments be to allocate more resources in 2021 to effectively
engaging with the community, particularly as we continue to navigate the pandemic turmoil together.
“WHEREAS, a safe community requires open communication, diverse perspectives, and a foundation
built on trust” and “WHEREAS, every community member has the opportunity and responsibility to listen
to, learn from, and act in support of those in our community who are most impacted by racial inequities”
I’d like to see Inclusive Public Engagement show up in the Key Purchases list for the 2021 budget, with
more money to back it up then you’re currently proposing, and with more input from the community
regarding service delivery and spending.
You have heard from, and will continue to hear from, community members who believe the community
engagement process is exclusionary, unclear, and lacking in transparency and accountability to
communities most affected. Devoting more time, effort and innovative thinking to how you can listen to,
learn from, and support these community members is critical, particularly in a year that we already know
will be different and challenging. Shoring up the resources required to do that effectively is a smart move
to make right now, as you prepare to approve next year’s budget. How, and how much more? These are
questions I believe we can answer together -- council, staff, and residents -- and I am confident that
expending the effort to do so in this area will yield significant results in many others. I am committed to
helping however I can, and I hope you are, too.
Sincerely,
Julie Sutter
Fort Collins, 80521
970.420.6006
___________________________________________________________________
1. 2021 City Manager’s Recommended Budget, Abbreviated Version
2. ORDINANCE NO. 067, 2020 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS
3. RESOLUTION 2020-060 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS
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From: Jessica Macmillan <jessiemac51@gmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, October 8, 2020 8:03 PM
To: City Leaders <CityLeaders@fcgov.com>
Cc: Mike Calhoon <MCALHOON@fcgov.com>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Parks and Rec Talking Points Oct 2020.pdf
Greetings to you all,
On behalf of the Parks and Recreation board I have enclosed the complete letter from the board to the
City Manager, Mayor, and Council members for you review for next Tuesdays’s Council work
session. Part of this was read at this past week’s council meeting, but it is our request that council
please consider a long term sustainable source of permanent funding for ongoing operations and
maintenance of our Parks system.
Respectfully,
Jessica MacMillan
Chair, Parks and Recreation Board
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Conservation Trust Fund Dollars Expenditures – City of Fort Collins
September 26, 2020
Mayor Troxell and Members of City Council,
Our parks, trails, and recreational facilities are a crown jewel of Fort Collins and create an incredible sense of
place. 97% of our residents view our Parks and Recreation programs and facilities as somewhat or very
important. In fact, our recreation facilities saw more than 1.3 million users in 2019 and distributed more than
6,000 reduced fee program passes. Our Parks Department, which oversees 58 parks and 44 miles of trails,
includes over 971 acres of land and an urban canopy of over 55,000 trees. And the Parks and Recreation
Departments recently received CAPRA designation from the Commission for Accreditation of Park and
Recreation Agencies, important national recognition for adhering to industry best practices.
Our advisory board was anticipating a difficult budget year due to ongoing funding challenges specifically acute
in the maintenance of our existing parks infrastructure. We currently face a $300,000 gap in annual O&M costs,
a multimillion-dollar gap in life-cycle replacement costs, and a lack of dedicated funding for the Parks Refresh
program. Covid-19 has obviously shifted the entire fiscal landscape of the City, and we believe City Staff was
prudent with the moderate cuts to Parks and Recreation that were proposed in the 2021 budget.
Fiscal responsibility is also why we support the decision to temporarily shift Conservation Trust Fund dollars
away from new infrastructure to parks maintenance. The City has prioritized minimal impacts to service delivery
through the use of redeploys. This offer does just that, which is consistent with the fiscal strategy used during
the last economic recession (see graph). Conservation Trust Fund dollars are distributed from the Department of
Local Affairs (DOLA) and can be used for the maintenance of recreational facilities and sites. In times of fiscal
uncertainty, it is prudent to maintain the infrastructure that we have.
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We recognize that there are impacts by using this funding strategy. The biggest immediate impact will be the
Vine and LeMay grade separated crossing project, which will be delayed. Staff is investigating alternative sources
of funding for this project including federal stimulus dollars. The fact that the access trail to this underpass is
currently not going to be built for several years also supports the temporary delay for this project. Once the
economy and financial conditions improve, and funds are restored to capital investment projects, bigger picture
issues will remain if we don’t find a more permanent funding source to fill the gap for parks operations and
maintenance, life-cycle, and refresh.
Thank you for your service to our community, and your consideration of the suggestions above.
Sincerely,
The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board
Jessica Macmillan, Chair
Catherine Carabetta, Vice Chair
Samuel Houghteling
Bob Kingsbury
Mike Novell
Shari Heymann
Ken Christensen
Mary Carlson
Mike Tupa
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September 26, 2020
• Our parks, trails, and recreational facilities are a crown jewel of Fort Collins and create an
incredible sense of place.
o 97% of our residents view our Parks and Recreation programs and facilities as somewhat
or very important.
o Our recreation facilities saw more than 1.3 million users in 2019 and distributed more
than 6,000 reduced fee program passes.
o Our Parks Department, which oversees 58 parks and 44 miles of trails, includes over 971
acres of land and an urban canopy of over 55,000 trees.
o And the Parks and Recreation Departments recently received CAPRA designation from
the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies, important national
recognition for adhering to industry best practices.
• Our advisory board was anticipating a difficult budget year due to ongoing funding challenges
specifically acute in the maintenance of our existing parks infrastructure.
o We currently face a $300,000 gap in annual O&M costs, a multimillion-dollar gap in life-
cycle replacement costs, and a lack of dedicated funding for the Parks Refresh program.
o Covid-19 has obviously shifted the entire fiscal landscape of the City, and we believe City
Staff was prudent with the moderate cuts to Parks and Recreation that were proposed
in the 2021 budget.
• Fiscal responsibility is also why we support the decision to temporarily shift Conservation Trust
Fund dollars away from new infrastructure to parks maintenance.
o The City has prioritized minimal impacts to service delivery through the use of
redeploys.
o This offer does just that, which is consistent with the fiscal strategy used during the last
economic recession (see graph).
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Conservation Trust Fund Dollars Expenditures – City of Fort Collins
o Conservation Trust Fund dollars are distributed from the Department of Local Affairs
(DOLA) and can be used for the maintenance of recreational facilities and sites. In times
of fiscal uncertainty, it is prudent to maintain the infrastructure that we have.
• We recognize that there are impacts by using this funding strategy.
o The biggest immediate impact will be the Vine and LeMay grade separated crossing
project, which will be delayed.
o Staff is investigating alternative sources of funding for this project including federal
stimulus dollars.
o The fact that the access trail to this underpass is currently not going to be built for
several years also supports the temporary delay for this project.
• Once the economy and financial conditions improve, and funds are restored to capital
investment projects, bigger picture issues will remain if we don’t find a more permanent
funding source to fill the gap for parks operations and maintenance, life-cycle, and refresh.
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From: samalone@reagan.com <samalone@reagan.com>
Sent: Thursday, October 8, 2020 9:25 PM
To: Sarah Kane <SKane@fcgov.com>
Cc: samalone@reagan.com
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Resident Comment
Dear Ms. Kane,
Please direct as necessary this email of comment to Mayor Troxell and other person(s)
on the Council. I am a resident of Timnath but my husband and I own a house in Fort
Collins, have a daughter and family in Fort Collins, and do most of our shopping there.
Given this time of national disrespect and shocking displays of incivility by a minority of
Americans towards their police and law enforcement people, I want to stand up for them
with gratitude for the difficult job they do. I hope there is no thought of reducing funding
or defunding our Fort Collins police department. Law and order is critical to continuing to
keep our city a wonderful and safe place to live.
I hope Mayor and Council will refuse to be intimidated by any rancorous, ungrateful
people who would be potential trouble makers. Cooler minds must stand strong and
prevail in city councils like ours across our great country for the good of the citizens who
depend upon good leadership and sound policy related to public safety from their city
government.
Sincerely,
Susan Malone
3804 Bidens Gate Dr.
Timnath
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From: Karen Artell <k_artell@msn.com>
Sent: Friday, October 9, 2020 10:39 AM
To: City Leaders <CityLeaders@fcgov.com>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Fw: 2021 City Budget
Hello Mayor and City Council Members
I want to again thank Council Members Stephens, Conniff and Pignataro for speaking up for air
quality funding at the first 2021 Budget work session. I have reviewed City staff's 2021 Budget
and Cameron Peak Fire Air and Water Quality documents for the Oct. 13 work session. City staff
budget documents note the following:
"The following Reduction Offers will not be included in 1st Reading;
General Fund reserves are instead proposed to provide the $63k offset
27.9 - Reduction: Scaled Down Climate Commitment (City- and Community-Led
Climate Engagement)
27.10 - Reduction: Scaled Down Air Quality Programming: Engagement & Monitoring
Equipment"
I appreciate that these items will not be included in the 1st Reading. Please see my email below
for my thoughts on offer 27.10. I requested that the offer be funded, at least in part. Feeding
Board and Commission members is mute at this point with virtual meetings possibly continuing
into 2021 depending on vaccine availability, I imagine.
High particulate and ozone levels, as we have experienced this year, can be expected next
summer related to our warming climate, the arid west and wildfires.
Regarding the Cameron Peak fire impact on our air and water quality, I appreciate City staff's air
and water quality expertise. I encourage City Council to do all that's possible to fund
watershed restoration and Federal Emergency Watershed Program costs related to the
Cameron Peak Fire. Today the Cameron Peak fire is at 131,231 acres
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/ Colorado's 3rd largest fire and affects both the Colorado and Poudre
River watersheds.
Thank you for your consideration.
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From: Holly LeMasurier <holly@homeward2020.org>
Sent: Friday, October 09, 2020 1:20 PM
To: City Leaders <CityLeaders@fcgov.com>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Homeward 2020 Stakeholder comment on 2021 BFO
Hello Mayor Troxell, City Council and City Leaders,
Please see attached letter contributed as public comment on the City Manager's recommended Budget,
and Budgeting for Outcomes process. submitted by Homeward 2020 on behalf of our community-wide
stakeholders and partners. These perspectives are reflected from several months of community-wide
listening, focus groups, provider and project partner meetings. Recent conversations and meetings have
focused on resourcing recovery infrastructure and the ongoing shelter and COVID-19 crises.
Please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions or to discuss our shared concerns and investments
in homelessness and housing solutions. Thank you.
Best, Holly LeMasurier
Holly LeMasurier
Homeward 2020 Director
www.homeward2020.org
970-325-3125
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October 9, 2020
RE: City Manager’s Recommended Budget
Fort Collins Mayor Troxell, City Council, City Leaders and Department of Social Sustainability,
The uncertain circumstances we face in 2021 require our City Leaders prioritize our community health and
resiliency, starting with actions and decisions during this year’s budget process. It is a time to pivot from
business as usual toward what is critically needed for our best future. There is an imperative to prioritize our
community’s most basic needs at this time and anticipate impacts of this pandemic and recession for several
years to come – to protect lives, preserve health, achieve a strong rehousing focus for people facing housing
crisis and accessing emergency shelters, and by extension, work toward overall community recovery. Now is a
critical time to deeply resource solutions to realize our community vision to make homelessness rare,
short-lived and non-recurring in Fort Collins.
We have reported those experiencing homelessness in Fort Collins are overrepresented by people of
color, people who experience generational poverty, people who experience trauma in the home or
community-at-large, and seniors and people with disabilities with limited, fixed incomes. They are
more prone to fatality from COVID-19 and ongoing environmental exposure. These community members
also have higher rates of acute primary health care needs, including respiratory disease, and are at much
greater risk of COVID-19 infection and complications from infection. These hundreds of people are without
shelter and homes today in Fort Collins – breathing unhealthy air, highly vulnerable to COVID spread in this
community, facing chilly fall days, and turning to camping, parks, busses, cars, open stores, restaurants and
limited open public facilities for respite, rest and relief. Hundreds are highly exposed to unhealthy air for over a
month, imminent cold nights and winter temperatures, and persistent widespread COVID -19 spread in the
community. Please extend great compassion and consideration for their condition .
Consider exercising eminent domain during this multi-faceted public health emergency before any
lives are lost, not after it is too late. We learned a lot at NACC in a short-time, and the entire community
benefits from a chance to improve the model and continue to protect and save lives.
Hundreds of households in Fort Collins, if not more, are predicted to become literally homeless for the
first time in the coming months. They will quickly bump up against and join the ‘iceberg’ of people already in
the system. These newly homeless will join hundreds already accumulated in stressed, congregate spaces for
meals, toileting and hand washing, showers, sleeping and basic needs services. People in congregate
settings, especially shelters, have always been extremely vulnerable to communicable disease (flu,
pneumonia, TB, norovirus) and now COVID-19 compounds these this winter.
Now is a time to ensure 24/7 access to clean, safe shelter and deploy rapid rehousing programs to
ensure exits into homes where people are safest and can begin to stabilize their lives . I urge Council to
reexamine the City Manager’s Recommended Budget and respond to the repeated community request for City
Leaders to address 1) growing homelessness, 2) the critical lack of deeply affordable housing (0-30%) so
people can self-resolve their housing crisis without perpetual social services, and 3) support for human
services at needed scale and scope to provide person-centered solutions.
Please target this budget to reach the most at-risk populations and these repeatedly vocalized community
priorities at this time. Some recommendations actions are as follows:
• Pause the BFO process to conduct a deeper evaluation of its effectiveness responding to community
needs and voiced priorities.
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• Provide analysis of City investments toward community -identified priorities and the disconnect from
resources over multiple cycles. For example:
o .0006% of the $646M recommended budget is toward Homelessness Initiatives.
o .0006% is recommended for Social Sustainability.
o .0008% is recommended toward the CCIP (Affordable Housing Fund).
• Fund the recommended Housing Manager and Homelessness Solutions Coordinator positions,
o Social Sustainability currently comprises .005% of City Staff positions.
• Stop criminalizing camping at this time, and reflect deep compassion, as there is no alternative night
and day shelter and many more people lacking access supportive community and services at this time.
Camping and other ‘crimes derived from the status of homelessness’ continue to be criminalized even
under current CDC guidelines encouraging outdoor use, but compounded with lack of alternative
options for shelter.
• Dedicate a one-time $1,000,000.00 toward an emergency rapid-rehousing flex fund to support a
rehousing surge, aiming to rapidly decompress the Fort Collins shelters by housing 150 people out of
our Fort Collins shelter system during this winter season . This program can be managed with
community partner organizations. A basic system model has been provided to council and City
Leaders.
• Dedicate $2, 500,000 in the 2021, and upcoming budgets through 2030, by officially committing a
reliable ‘slice’ of the Keep Fort Collins Great budget from ‘Other Community Priorities’. This can expand
affordable housing acquisition s and construction in the next decade and rapidly grow our affordable
housing inventory. This budget can be managed by the Housing Manager in cooperation with Housing
Catalyst, Affordable Housing providers and developers.
Homeward 2020 appreciates City Council and City Leaders further consideration of thes e significant and
impactful budget allocations to help our community reach our vision to make homelessness rare, short -lived
and non-recurring. This vision has always been aligned with community healt hy and resiliency, and is amplified
at this time. Now is an opportunity for bold action and clear decisions to create a more sustainable, healthy and
housed community for all.
With gratitude,
Homeward 2020 Community Stakeholders and Partners
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From: Karen Artell <K_ARTELL@msn.com>
Sent: Monday, October 12, 2020 11:07 AM
To: City Leaders <CityLeaders@fcgov.com>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] 2021 Draft Budget
Hello Mayor and City Council Members
The slides below are from the September 8 City Council work session. As you can see the
budget for Economic Health is the City's largest but City staff only recommended a 4% cut for
funding, the second lowest cut for all the Outcome areas. City staff recommended a 13% cut to
Environmental Health and an 8% cut to Culture and Recreation Outcomes. Are staff now
recommending even further cuts to the Parks budget? Why aren't more cuts being considered
for the Economic Health outcome - the largest budgeted outcome area and the outcome with
the 2nd lowest percentage cut?
With our growing population and high demand for outdoor recreation especially with COVID 19
restrictions and needs of young children, cutting parks, natural areas and trail services and
maintenance is very short sited. Closing community park restrooms during the winter with no
port-o-lets in both Community Parks and Neighborhood Parks is poor public health planning. So
too is delaying playground repairs. With summers getting hotter, pools and water features are a
wonderful outlet for our children. Closing the Fossil Creek and Spring Canyon water features
leave City children and thier parents with fewer options for recreation.
I think staff and City Council should seriously look to the Economic Health outcome for more
cuts to preserve other City functions. Why are so much of reserve funds being proposed for
broadband and DDA Operating and Capital Budget? What about some of the Economic Health
enhancements? Why does the Oak Street Plaza need to be renovated in 2021? I just don't
understand why the Economic Health outcome is shown so much deference.
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From: Seanna Renworth <smrenworth@gmail.com>
Sent: Monday, October 12, 2020 3:37 PM
To: City Leaders <CityLeaders@fcgov.com>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] 2021 Budget
Dear Members of Fort Collins City Council,
I am writing to demand that the 2021 Budgeting For Outcomes process and final approved budget
include direct investment in, equity for, and inclusion of Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) in
our community. I am a Fort Collins community member in District 5. The City of Fort Collins has a stated
value of pursuing equity leading with race; the City Manager’s recommended budget does little to
define the City’s view of equity, center the voices of BIPOC leaders and community members, or
demonstrate this value with concrete budget choices and investments. In fact, “equity” is mentioned
only sparingly across the entire budget. The Community Engagement process to influence these choices
is already exclusionary: it requires time,
internet access, and fluency in English and financial jargon to understand. Further, because of the
reactionary nature of the budget to COVID-19, this nearly 400-page document was made public only 14
days before the first public hearing. These constraints actively exclude the community members most
impacted by these decisions: Black, Indigenous, People of Color, our neighbors and colleagues who are
undocumented, and people with low-income. Over 19% of Fort Collins residents are Latinx and 2,215
students within PSD speak a language other than English at home, and yet there is no commitment to
language justice to support participation for these families. These communities are also those most
disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and its effects on the economy; we should be increasing our
investment in these communities, not continuing to exclude them.
Most importantly, the content of the budget does not demonstrate a commitment to equity leading
with race:
- As we continue to advocate for divestment in policing and investment in community healing, police are
the only City employees receiving a raise in 2021.
- There is a lack of transparency and specificity across all police budgets categories, including increases
for the Office of the Chief and Community and Special Services with no explanation.
- Waste Reduction and Air Quality, two key environmental health programs that are part of the few that
explicitly mention benefits to and impacts on BIPOC were reduced or eliminated.
- There is no acknowledgment of digital access gaps or explicit investment in ensuring access for BIPOC
or low-income communities in the $18.1M Broadband core operations, though the COVID crisis has
made these gaps abundantly clear.
These are only a few examples of the ways that this budget actively excludes, erases, and otherwise
harms Black, Indigenous, People of Color in Fort Collins.
To rectify these issues, we, Black, Indigenous, People of Color and white allies, demand that City Council,
the City Manager’s Office, and members of the Budget Leadership Team enact the following
immediately:
1. Delay the budget approval process, and increase inclusion efforts including translation of all public
budget documents, Strategic Plans, and budget offers, and increased outreach to and engagement of
BIPOC and low-income community members.
2. Actively engage leaders of the BIPOC community to define (or re-define) outcomes and priority areas
for investment.
3. Increase investment into BIPOC communities and programs to support healing, health, and
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community-led safety by divesting from areas that do harm, including the police.
4. Increase accountability to the BIPOC community by developing accessible, public-facing data on City
performance against outcomes rooted in equity.
We believe our city leaders should speak with the community rather than above the community. It is
critical these million-dollar decisions include community voice and input on the potential benefits and
harms to individuals, and especially our BIPOC communities. A budget is a moral document - Fort Collins’
budget should reflect an explicit moral investment in equity leading with race. We need people-
centered decisions that demonstrate the City’s stated values of equity, diversity, and inclusion.
I look forward to your reply.
Thank you,
Seanna Renworth
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